The ripples
by Lanora-Snape
Summary: Well this is something you dont see every day. I have updated. Its been a year almost and well heres the starting of the rest of my story. Please feel free to yell at me if its not up to standards.
1. Pain of a Woman

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
Snow was falling out side Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The beginning of winter. The soft crescent moon caressed the grounds as the powdery flakes of ice trailed down from the sky changing the grounds from green to white.  
  
It was late. Hours ago the last of the students had headed from there common rooms up to the safe seclusion of there rooms. It was the only time there was peace in their hearts.  
  
A lone figure of a woman crossed the halls; her dark thick curly hair flamed out behind her. Her skin was pale not from the lack of sunlight but from grief.  
  
In her hand tightly clutched was a letter, soaked from tears and crumpled from frustration. She stopped in her footsteps, rasing her head to look up at the towering anceint ceelings and let out a sob of grief.  
  
"Out for a midnight stroll I see Miss Granger" came a voice as soft a velvet but as hard a steel.  
  
Hermione froze that voice. Her blood ran cold; frustration threatened to engulf her good judgment. She turned to face her fear. She turned to face .  
  
Professor Severus Snape.  
  
Her dark rich brown coloured eyes took in his dark form.  
  
He was taller than she was; in fact taller was than most. His raven black hair lightly spinkled with flecks of gray and silver. He had pale skin amlost alabaster in color, around his eyes there were beginings of crows feet peeking at the edges. His lips were thin and reedy and a pale lifeless red.  
  
He held an aroura around him, one that could shake a mountain, power and grace all to his own. His face was was chisled with the story of his life. The skin was scared and in some areas marrd beyond repair. Yet not uncomfortably so.  
  
She took in a breath at what she saw next.  
  
His eyes  
  
It was his eyes that terrified her, they had always scared her. From her first day at hogwarts those dark pools of nothingness, no feeling, just deep pools of ice had haunted her. They looked at her with such a loathing, reserved only for the students that he despided with more then just hatred.  
  
"TuT TuT Miss Granger you off all people should know that it is not permitted to roam the halls at this hour of the night" Sneered Snape.  
  
"Yes I know Professor but." Tears were threatening to fall. God did she have to run into him off all people at this time. Not after what happened.  
  
"Stop making excuses Miss Granger, As head girl and a seventh year you know better than to walk around alone at night, especially during these times. 20 points from Gryffindor. Now get back to your bed" he snapped.  
  
Tears were now falling from her face, freely and stubernly. Nothing she could do would stop them. She clutched the note tighter.  
  
The Note.  
  
A rush of strength came through her. She looked up into his eyes, hers were full of defiance and what was grief was now rage.  
  
This made Snape take a step back out of shock.  
  
" I'm sorry professor I cannot do that" she spoke with a clear and powerful tone, unlike any she had ever heard her self create.  
  
Snape just looked at her. "Three months left of term and you are truly looking for an expulsion Miss Granger" there was venom and daggers in each of his words.  
  
She didn't even respond to him, turning on her heals she continued on her journey leaving professor Snape behind.  
  
"MISS GRANGER!" roared Snape. " How dare you turn your back on me! Get back here now."  
  
Hermione just started to run, run away from the grief, the pain.running away from Snape!  
  
"Insolent Bitch!" growled Snape as he took after her, his long legs caring him faster than Hermione thought possible.  
  
She had to run faster. Harder. Faster.  
  
Turning the corner she came to her destination. Snape was catching up.  
  
She looked up at the Gargoyle that guarded her destination and began to scream out. " Gummy worms, Acid Pops, Pepper imps, Lemon Drops, Curry Clams!"  
  
At the last word the Gargoyle jumped away leaving a long winding stare cases behind it.  
  
" MISS GRANGER!" Snape roared as he came around the corner, only to see her disappear into the wall.  
  
He slowed his pace and loped to the point ware Hermione had been moments ago. Painting only lightly he followed her in.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Hermione called out. Tears and shock falling in drops from her.  
  
" Professor Dumbledore!" She screamed. Over and over.  
  
Tears were now coming in waves down her face, she couldn't stop it any longer.  
  
A hand came up behind her, a warm hand. " Shhh.Child I'm here."  
  
Hermione turned to look up into the brilliant blue eyes of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. She took one look at him and buried her face into the old wizard's robes, crying and sobbing like a wild animal.  
  
Dumbledore noticed that another person had entered the room, it was none other than Severus Snape himself. The look on the younger wizard's face was laced with confusion and in some point anger.  
  
Dumbledore nodded to the man and watched while still holding a sobbing Hermione as the potion master took a seat in his office.  
  
Dumbledore patted the sobbing woman's back. "There there Hermione, what ever it is, it will be all right"  
  
He felt her tense up at these words.  
  
She pulled back from his warm hug and looked at the headmaster with a spark of rage mingled with her grief.  
  
She still had the letter clutched in her hands.  
  
" No Headmaster it is not all right!" her voice was shaking.  
  
Dumbledore stared at her for a moment, then pointed to the letter in her hands. She slowly gave it to him, hands trembling.  
  
He scanned the sodden peace of parchment. He blues eyes slowly loosing their brilliant twinkle.  
  
"Hermione.I'm truly sorry"  
  
Snape looked from the headmaster to Miss Granger. What was going on? One thing that Severus never enjoyed was being kept out of the loop and this was something he needed to know. Miss Granger had better tell him what was going on or it might not save her from a possible lifetime of detention.  
  
He looked at the Granger girl. Fresh tears were rolling down her cheeks soaking her robes.  
  
The headmaster then guided Hermione to the chair next to Snapes and handed her a mug of hot chocolate. Tears of grief were still falling from her face.  
  
The headmaster took his spot behind his desk, looking very grave and very saddened.  
  
"Hermione I believe that there is little that I can say that can comfort you at this time. I'm sorry we were un able to stop what happened."  
  
She looked up from her steaming mug. " I know headmaster, I just wished there was something I could do."  
  
Severus now made a noise in his throate making it clear that he had no idea in hell what was going on.  
  
Dumbledore looked at the young man in front of him, looking to Miss Granger. " Hermione may I show him the letter?"  
  
She nodded casting a slight look of loathing at Snape.  
  
Dumbledore then handed the letter over to professor Snape. His blue eyes loosing what little luster they had left in them.  
  
Professor Snape nodded in thanks. Opening up the crumpled and slightly wet letter he proceeded to read it.  
  
  
  
Dear Miss Granger  
  
I would like to inform you of your recent orphanage.  
  
  
  
Snape froze, all hostile thoughts were now lost, he was even fighting the urge to gather the girl into his arms and hug her with sympathy.  
  
  
  
I pains me greatly to inform you that at 9:00 this morning we arrived at your parents house to find the dark mark emblazoned in the sky.  
  
Your parents I regret to say did not survive the encounter. They both have parrished from the Avada Kedavra curse.  
  
We are currently looking into this matter with the utmost of caution. We have little doubt that these were planed attacks.  
  
I'm sorry for your loss  
  
Mr. C Fudge Minister of magic.  
  
Snape was in shock, what a cold letter even for Fudge that was inconceivable.  
  
He watched the sobbing girl. Then looked the headmaster. There were matters that needed discussion. Dumbledore cleared his throate much like Snape had done. "Miss Granger I have contact your head of house she will be hear to collect you shortly, I'm afraid I must ask for you to wait out side there is a matter that I must discuse with Professor Snape"  
  
She nodded, and left, but not before sending a look laden with pure hatred at professor Snape.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
The headmaster stood in front of the fire facing it. Ignoring the younger man behind him. It was going to happen soon. I know it.  
  
"Severus" the old man croaked.  
  
"Yes Albus"  
  
" Did you have any warning at all from your meetings? No word from the death eaters?"  
  
"No Albus, I regret to say that they don't seem to be passing me as much information as they used to, I believe that they are beginning to understand my role in the circle."  
  
" I was afraid of that, so do you believe that they know of you spying for us?"  
  
"In a word I believe yes"  
  
"Then it is no longer safe for you."  
  
" It was never safe Albus" snapped Severus.  
  
" I know but I cannot ask you to go back."  
  
" I will and I must"  
  
Dumbledore turned and stared at the younger man, he was not even thirty- five and yet he seemed so old. He remembered the day that Severus had barged into his office, eyes full of tears and regret.  
  
It was that day that he had been made a spy, it was that day that he had sealed his own fate.  
  
No it was not that day it was the day that he had the blasted mark burned into his skin, into his soul.  
  
" Albus there is another matter I wish to speak with you of."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
" Do you relies what today is?"  
  
" Yes the first day of winter, why?"  
  
Snapes face paled. 


	2. Snape's Secret

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Hermione waited patiently outside of the office, not able to hear a single word the two men were saying, much to her annoyance.  
  
Gods. I can believe I'm so alone. She felt tears well up in her eyes again; her skin already ached from the salt and the way it made her skin crack. She wept openly again. Her stomach held a familiar sickanining twinge, one that you only felt when you were in intense emtotional pain.  
  
" Miss Granger are you all right?" came a soft voice from out of the shadows. She felt a tender hand place it's self on her back.  
  
It was Professor Minerva McGonigall, her head of house and good friend.  
  
" No Professor I'm not." Tears were falling steadily now.  
  
" No you cannot be expected to be all right my dear, I m so sorry for your loss." The kindly professor looked at her star student with high regard and saddened eyes.  
  
"Come now I must get you back to your dorm, its not safe to be out side alone." Placing an arm around Hermione she led her back to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
" Gods Man Don't you relies what this means??!!" Screamed professor Snape.  
  
The old man just looked at him with hopelessness.  
  
" I do Severus, as do all the teachers, we have strived to keep a sense of normalcy during this time, but I know what is going to happen, there is little I do but worry about such things!" Albus looked at the younger wizard in front of him; he could still feel the tears of Miss Granger on his robes. There was nothing more than what he wished was sleep, not a nights sleep but an eternal sleep.  
  
Severus watched as Dumbledore's face seamed to age almost by magic, there was little life left in his features.  
  
It was then that Severus realized just how old the Headmaster truly was. His eyes had lost their twinkle from the deaths that had occurred while under his leadership as headmaster.  
  
It seemed that with this last act Voldmort had officially succeeded in do the unimaginable.  
  
He had broken Albus's spirit.  
  
" We have to do something." Murdered Severus.  
  
Albus sighed looking out the window; there was a deep fall of fresh snow making its way down from the sky.  
  
" I believe that all the answers to the future remain in the past"  
  
Severus just looked at the man.  
  
"Albus, what is wrong with you, you are talking nonsense. I can honestly say that I do not enjoy being on this side of the conversation, it is usually you who is talking sense into me not the other way around."  
  
Albus turned from watching the snow and was now facing the dark hared wizard before him.  
  
" Severus, I'm truly at a loss, all these years I have failed countless times and now I fear that this is one time that I will pay for my failures as a headmaster."  
  
Severus blanched, Gods what was this, he had never known Albus to go down a pity trip. Gods! That what his job!  
  
" Albus. What happened with Miss Granger tonight was not your fault; there was nothing anyone could have done. The Grangers knew what was at stake."  
  
The headmaster cut him off before he could finish.  
  
" I could have stopped him Severus, I could have stopped him before her parents were killed, before Cedric  
  
Digory was killer, before the Potters were killed".  
  
" You know that's not true headmaster."  
  
" It is Severus, I'm sorry but I knew for years what Tom Riddle would amount to, I should have stopped him, I should have stopped the original Death Eaters (Snape winced at this, he was one of the originals) but alas I did not" he gave a heavy sigh. "I guess I always thought that there might have been a glint of hope for us all, that maybe I wouldn't have to fight....I was a selfish old man"  
  
Severus now was getting angry, he couldn't help but think of how after all these years of Dumbledore telling him not to pity himself that the mistakes were in the past, that Dumbledore himself would have the nerve to do the same.  
  
" GET OVER IT MAN!" roared Severus. " You can not dwell in the past, there is nothing that we can do about that. Its over its been written"  
  
The was a twinge of a familiar light that drifted into Albus's eyes.  
  
" Severus did you know anything of the attack on the Grangers? From your sources? No new information."  
  
Severus shook his head. " No nothing was ever mentioned about Miss Granger or her parents, I was asked once how she was in school what was she like, was she a strong person, her achedemic standards.... (Snape gasped in shock) Albus you don't think??! Gods how could I have been so stupid!"  
  
" What is it man!" whispered Dumbledore, his aged face showing signs of concern.  
  
" Hermione ............. ah Miss ........ Granger! Gods how could I have not realized it! She's the perfect candidate that Voldmort would want, Gods just like Lily!"  
  
Now it was Albus's turn to feel confused.  
  
Snape looked at Dumbledore for a moment, deciding to choose his words carefully.  
  
" Albus the night that the potters died, Voldmort had not wished to kill lily." He whispered.  
  
" He did however Severus" Albus was apparently for the first time in his life very confused.  
  
" Yes but that was an accident, she got in the way when he tried to kill Harry. He had wanted her alive."  
  
Now Albus looked thoughtful. " Why did he want her alive Severus?"  
  
"Albus I'm sorry I never told you this but I did not want this to get out but Lily Potter was part of the reason that her Family died that night, Voldmort had been watching her for some time and there was one thing that he himself had never produced in his horrible life."  
  
Albus raised and eyebrow and nodded for Severus to continue.  
  
" Albus Voldmort wanted an heir."  
  
. 


	3. A hero's Calling

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione Granger was sitting on the windowsill of her head girl's room, watching as the snow out side began falling harder and the light from the castle gave it an orange hue.  
  
Hermione Sighed, finding her self in a deep self-pitying stage of Grief. For Seven years she had poured sweet and blood into her school work, attaining the highest marks that were ever given in Hogwarts, gaining the title of Head girl. It all meant nothing. She had learned nothing, years in the library had taught her about the past and the future, magic and mystery. She had never lived. Seven years she had worked, learning nothing, nothing that was of the slightest importance!  
  
Nothing that could have saved her family!  
  
She picked up a little glass ornament of a horse, she could never remember where she got it, and it no longer mattered as she hurled it into the door with previous unknown strength. It shattered into a million tiny pieces as it hit the hard oak door of her private room.  
  
Getting up off the windowsill she walked over to her nightstand next to her Gryffindor colored bed. Opening a rather larger dwore she pulled out a mini stereo. Faintly remembering the day in her fifth year when she discovered a way to run electronics of types on the magical currents that flowed through Hogwarts.  
  
Next she pulled out a CD from a small stash behind her nightstand. Finding one that seemed to suit her mood she inserted it into the player and selected the song. For her this was what helped her grieve over the years she found she could never really talk to her friends about what bothered her. It often made her wonder, but now that didn't matter.  
  
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she made her way back to the windowsill to watch the snowfall. The song started, tears started to come faster in long racking sobs.  
  
~~ We don't know why! ~~ ~~ The innocent Die! ~~ ~~ Will this world ever find a way to change! ~~ ~~ We don't know why but we know its not right! ~~ ~~ Don't know why so many had to die~~ ~~ Don't know why so many had to die! ~~  
  
Her body quivered and shook as she buried her face in her hands, letting all of the pain that she kept inside out into the world.  
  
So deep in her sorrow was she that she never noticed the dark shadows that crept across the snow-covered grounds up to the castle.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Albus was in shock. "Severus are you sure?"  
  
The younger Wizard just nodded, and watched Albus as his face paled considerably.  
  
" Yes Albus, I'm sure"  
  
"Severus this cannot be, Voldmort is steril, , he cannot have children." Albus was nipping at little strands of hope.  
  
"Albus you of all people know that there are ways, Voldmort may have made himself Steril, sterol with his accession to power, but that does not mean there aren't way in which he could still conceive."  
  
" So it seems that Miss Granger is now our top priority, if Voldmort was to conceive and Heir with her this could mean disaster for the world."  
  
" It would seem Albus."  
  
Dumbledore sighed, what a fate awaited Hermione if he could not stop Voldmort.  
  
" What do we do Albus?"  
  
Dumbledore regarded the question for a moment and was about to speak when an undeniable cold swept throughout the room. He reacted quickly garbing his old and well used wand he ran to the window.  
  
Albus blanched, watching as a mass of dark men and creatures flowed towards the castle.  
  
" It appears Severus that we die."  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Harry potter was screaming. Nightmares and pain flooded through his body. People were calling to him, screaming his name.  
  
" Harry!"  
  
" Harry!"  
  
They had grabbed him, they were shaking him.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"God Harry wake up!" came a very worried voice.  
  
He awoke with a start to face a very worried Ronald Weasly. The pain in his scar was more then he had ever felt. It was like it was burning through him.  
  
" Harry are you all right" came the voice of a very scared looking Neville Longbottom.  
  
Ron put his arm around Harry. " Harry.. Are you ok?"  
  
Harry winced in pain. " No my scar its burning, I ve never felt it burn like this before"  
  
Ron and Neville looked shocked. "Harry that means, that mean that you - Know - who is."  
  
Harry felt another jolt of pain surge through him " RON" he screamed as the pain tried to conquer him. " He's here! Voldmort here!"  
  
He mercifully collapsed from the pain.  
  
Ron then felt a cold, like all hope was sucked out of life flow through him. He let go of an uncocius Harry and ran to the window, he hoped nothing was there.  
  
He was wrong.  
  
"Neville!" Ron roared.  
  
"Wh- What?" the boy answered shockingly.  
  
" Take your wand, go to the common room and get every one up! Tell them to bring their wands."  
  
" OK Ron but why" the boy asked his voice quivering.  
  
Ron looked once more out the window to make sure he wasn't seeing things.  
  
" We've got trouble." He whispered.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione awoke to find the castle shaking. Shaking? What the hell was going on? There was a loud boom and the sound of falling stone echoed through her room.  
  
Grabbing her wand she rushed out of the room, she just about fainted at what she saw.  
  
The Gryffindor common room was torn to shreds, there were people screaming, running, bleeding. There was a mass of younger children's bodies strewn across the floor. More were screaming. What are they screaming at?  
  
Then she saw it. There were ten maybe fifteen black hooded creatures moving towards the group of children. Dementors! Dementors? In the castle.  
  
They advanced on the first years, sucking out life as they passed it.  
  
Then she heard it. " Run!" the voice was familiar. She looked around frantically to try and place it.  
  
A tall Seventh year boy with flaming red hair ran in front of the first years and faced the advancing Dementors.  
  
Ron.  
  
" RON!" she screamed and raced towards him.  
  
Ron didn't even turn; the Dementors swooped down on him as he shouted into the night. " Expecto Patronum!" A large lion, a true symbol of a Gryffindor shot from his wand. Charging and driving the Dementors back.  
  
" Hermione Get those kids out of here!" he shouted and cast another spell.  
  
Hermione snapped out of her daze at what she was seeing, she sprinted over to the group that was huddle behind a furious Ronald Weasly, Grabbing them she ran towards her room and told them to get inside. They would be safe.  
  
She muttered a quick concealing spell so that they wouldn't be found and ran back to help Ron.  
  
She saw him fire off another spell at the Dementors, this time it didn't drive them back as much as it had done the first time.  
  
Ron now had his back to the wall; His face was calm, and passive. Hermione had never seen him look this way before; he had the look of someone who had accepted his fate. He was a hero. Like he had always wanted to be.  
  
Hermione ran, ran towards him, she couldn't loose another friend, no he wasn't a friend he was her family all she had left.  
  
Jumping over bodies trying desperately to get there in time.  
  
The hooded mass of death descended a pon him, she heard him scream.  
  
"NO!" she roared. Trying desperately to get to him, maybe she could save him.  
  
Suddenly she tripped. Falling flat on the hard stone ground.  
  
She looked back at what she had tripped on; there on the Ground was the lifeless body of here head of house, her good friend.  
  
Professor McGonigal.  
  
She screamed.  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Severus was frantic. Roaring out Killing curse at hundred's of Death Eater, the order that he once belonged to as they descended on a group of scared RavenClaw students.  
  
Hogwarts he thought. Its over, Hogwarts has fallen, just when our leader lost hope. It was over.  
  
He was too late the group of RavenClaw were dead lying in a bloody mass on the ground. He cursed as he watched the pale faces of students he had once taught.  
  
It was over.  
  
Dumbledore was dead; he had been the first to fall. The stupid man had thought he could face Voldmort on his own. In the end Voldmort tore Albus the good and kind man apart. Literally. He had died bravely, but strangely he had died with a smile on his face. Even in death somehow that man was up to something.  
  
A tear threatened to fall from the cold professor's eye as he remembered the man who had saved his life.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Ron was dead; no he was worse then dead. Hermione Cried as she hugged the lifeless, soulless body of her best friend. Never again would they fight, squabble about homework or any other mass of stupid things they used to fight about. Never again would she feel his warm hugs or hear he wonderful laugh.  
  
He truly was like her brother, her best friend.  
  
She looked into the lifeless eyes of her comrade. He had died doing what he had been striving to do since she had first met him on the train that first year.  
  
He had proven himself better than the rest. Ronald Weasly was a hero. 


	4. The rise of a snake

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Severus was sneaking around the blood bathed halls of Hogwarts, his expression was sickly, he had come across so many dead student, children who only hours ago were safe in there lives and were full of hope. He had taught them all and now he would never see them graduate. He had even come across much to his surprise the body of Neville longbottom; he was surrounded by many dead Death eaters. For once he was proud of the boy, but now he would never be able to tell him that.  
  
He saw many of his friends or comrades in teaching (he really didn't have any friends) while walking these halls. Flitwick. Hagrid, Minerva, Remus lupin (now teaching Defense against the dark arts once again), Sprout, Hooch.he had seen them, or what was left of them. All were dead.  
  
He was alone.  
  
Now he made his way through the corridors past the great hall to the remains of the Gryffindor common room. He hoped that there would be some survivors, none of the other houses had any. All were dead.  
  
He wondered vaguely if Harry Potter and his friends were alive, it wasn't likely since they were all targets. He truly hoped that the Granger girl was dead, it would save her from a fate worse than death. He shuddered at the thought.  
  
When he was first entering the Death Eaters ranks, before Voldmort had become the snake like being that he was, he had been a man.and used that to his full advantage. The basterd Tom Riddle had raped his own mother; Severus had done nothing to stop him much to his disgust. All his did was watch as that vile creature entered his mother and defiled her body, mind and soul! The woman, his mother was always so strong, proud and noble and had fought him to the last, but even she in the end began to move with him as he defiled her soul.  
  
That was the fate that awaited Hermione.  
  
Why did she have to be so strong, smart and in all else the perfect thing that Voldmort was looking for, the very person who would carry his monstrous offspring!  
  
He continued to walk slowly and slyly into the common room.  
  
He was stunned at what he saw, there were masses of dead bodies much like the other common rooms, however in this one there were also masses of dead black cloaked figures.  
  
Bloody Gryffendor's Brave to the last.  
  
He saw the bodies of Ronald Weasly and his sister. The last of the Weasly lines. Ron he noted has a look of triumph on his face. In the middle of a group of slaughtered first years he saw the remains of the boy who lived. His scar was bleeding, and his chest was torn open.  
  
Gods they were only children.  
  
Then he heard it. A scream. A woman's scream. It was coming from out side.  
  
Racing as fast as his legs could carry him he ran back through the halls and out the main doors to the Hogwarts grounds. There were about twenty or thirty Death eaters surrounding a long figure of a woman. His eyes however were not on the death eaters or the woman, but on the tallest figure, glowing red eyes could be seen under the hood.  
  
It was Voldmort.  
  
Casting a simple stealth spell he advanced on the group.  
  
" Its useless to fight it!" came the cold voice of Voldmort. " Your fate is sealed Mudblood"  
  
Snape froze gods the woman was Hermione.  
  
He watched in horror as the circle of death eaters closed around the two of them.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Hermione was in shock, she should have never left the castle, and at least there she could hide, now she was doomed.  
  
She new begging was useless so she turned a defiant sneer at the most powerful wizard in the world.  
  
" I'm not afraid of you, you bastered!" she growled.  
  
Voldmort gave a soft chuckle. " Well my dear I should say that you should be" he grinned evilly at her. Voldmort took a few steps towards her.  
  
Hermione back up, desperately trying to keep her distance from the vile snake that was before her. She was so frightened that she didn't realize that she back into a group of death eaters.  
  
" Hold her! " roared Voldmort.  
  
Arms every were arms, Grabbing her holding her. She screamed and spat at them. Her legs flailing. She managed to connect one of her feet with a mans jaw. She was rewarded by a crack and a yowl from the man. Flailing kicking biting. There was a sudden use of force and she found her self-flat on her back on the ground. She hit it with such force that the wind left her body.  
  
" Such lovely fire in a woman, I had hope to have done this earlier, but sadly the woman got in the way and well" he grinned evilly.  
  
He pulled out his wand. " I had hoped to have done this years ago, I truly had given up hope that I would ever find a woman who would be suitable. Pity I'm no longer able to perform the task at the present."  
  
Hermione's eyes grew wide. What the hell was he talking about, she had an idea but the thought brought bile up into her throat.  
  
"You should feel honored bitch, you will have the privilege that so many woman have fought over for." He gave her a look that made her want to puke.  
  
He was now stroking his wand with great favor. He watched the witch try to break free of her holdings.  
  
He then reached inside his wand and pulled out a small talisman, it had a pentagram with a serpent winding around it. He touched his wand to it and it immediately began to glow a fiery red.  
  
He gave an approving nod and walked towards Hermione, reaching down her griped robe sleeve of her left arm and ripped it off with little effort.  
  
Hermione was trembling, trying will all her might to get away from the monster and the creatures that held her.  
  
Voldmort's eyes burned an evil red as he looked at her. Taking the Talisman in his clammy gray longnailed hands he brought it over her left arms biceps and pressed it down on her.  
  
Hermione screamed at pain like she had never know entered her body, coursing through her like a storm, burning her, charring her skin. She could smell her own flesh cooking underneath that piece of metal.  
  
Satisfied Voldmort removed the talisman from her arm leaving a bleeding patch of black burned flesh on her arm.  
  
Hermione felt tears corse down her cheeks, but she never closed her eyes.  
  
Voldmort chuckled once again; it was like daggers in her soul. " You are now mine little one! In any time all will know that you are mine."  
  
Hermione could no longer hold it back she vomited, thankfully on the nearest death eater.  
  
Voldmort once again pulled out his wand. " Now little bitch, I will send you back to the time that I was able."  
  
"Able to what you vile shit headed snake" spat Hermione.  
  
Voldmort just laughed again.  
  
" Why when I was able to conceive!"  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Snape was raking his brain trying to find ways to save the girls life. He knew that the time he would send her to was the time the potters died, it was just after that he made himself impotent.  
  
If he could just intervene and somehow send her some where safe she could be saved.  
  
Time. He needed more time.  
  
God if they could have only stopped him before!  
  
Snape just about smacked him self. What had Dumbledore said? " I believe that all the answers to the future remain in the past" The damned old wizard new this was going to happen!  
  
He stopped. Voldmort was moving again.  
  
Raising his wand he began muttering a spell over Hermione.  
  
He had to stop this at the right time; he started at a full run towards Voldmort. His cover would be blown soon.  
  
" Ranisenso Pandacema!" Yelled Voldmort.  
  
Hermione began to glow a faint light white.  
  
Just as Voldmort was about to say the last word, Severus Snape the cold- hearted potion master tackled him hard and fast. Voldmort was only stunned for a moment.  
  
That moment was all he needed. He raised his wand and pointed hit at a very scared and surprised Hermione.  
  
" Seferior!" he screamed.  
  
With a large boom Hermione Granger vanished.  
  
Snape smiled; there might be hope. There was a blinding acid green light that enveloped him and he fell to the ground. Dead.  
  
Severus Snape died with a smile still on his face and for the first time hope in his heart. 


	5. Same Enimes new beginings

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
" Go get the headmaster!" a male voice like smooth velvet calls out.  
  
There was a sound of something or someone running, the silence once again. She could here people around her, breathing, making sounds. She didn't want to open her eyes. She knew there would be horrors that she could never think to comprehend in front of her once she opened her eyes they would never leave.  
  
The was a pain in her arm. She moaned.  
  
" I think she's coming around." Came a woman's voice, so familiar, comforting, but no it couldn't be her, she was dead! She had seen her dead.  
  
"Minerva?" she moaned.  
  
There was an odd silence.  
  
The woman's voice returned. " What did you say child?"  
  
Hermione couldn't take it any more she had to open her eyes. There was a blinding light and then everything came into focus. There was a bright blue sky, dotted with clouds; it was then that Hermione realized she was lying on her back, on very soft and thick green grass lightly caressing her body as the wind drifted through it.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
" Your out side Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and wizardry my dear." Came the woman's voice again.  
  
Hermione sat up in shock. Taking in every thing.  
  
The grounds the school, the bright blue sky. Hogwarts was still standing, there were no bodies strewn across the grounds. And there in front of her was none other than.  
  
" Minerva?" Hermione screamed and threw her arms around her old friend and head of house, It was a dream, every thing was a dream. No one's died, it was just some horrible nightmare. " God I can't believe this I thought you were dead!"  
  
The woman looked as though she was about ready to faint. " I'm sorry dear heart you must have me mistaken for some one else, I'm afraid that I don't know who you are."  
  
Hermione pulled back from the woman, what did she mean she didn't know who she was! Im her favorit student, Im her friend!. I can't believe she would have the nerve to say she didn't know her.  
  
Hermione looked up into the eyes of her Proffesor and gasped at what she saw.  
  
It was Minerva McGonagall ......but it wasn't? She was so, young un- aged ......she was younger, her hair was still pulled back into a tight bun and her teacher robes were the same but she lacked her wrinkles and her hair was not gray but a deep brown.  
  
This wasn't right! Whats going on, did Minerva take an anti aging potion, was this all some cruel joke?  
  
Then she felt it, a faint throbbing in her left arm. Moving quickly she felt under her robe sleave with her right hand, feeling for anything and every thing.  
  
Then she felt it, the feeling of spilt skin a slight laceration.  
  
Oh gods! It cant be, no it wasn't real, I'm here, Minerva's here. No ones dead. Ron's not dead, Harry's still chasing Cho chang! No No No its not real, gods no.....  
  
Tears were begingjng to fall down her cheeks. Its just a nightmare. It has to be, but I have that mark that he...he was going to...oh gods... (panic surged through her, her body started to convulse from the trama)  
  
"Miss are you all right" Minerva whispered as the young girl in front of her gatherd her self up, holding her knees to her chest. Rocking back and forth.  
  
She was about to touch Hermione on the shoulder when a voice came out of no where.  
  
" Ah Minerva I see we have a visitor!" came a very cheerful voice.  
  
" Yes Albus, but she seems to be in a sort of shock, I don't even know her name" Minerva exclaimed.  
  
Hermione poked her head out of the secure ball she had made, tears streaming down her face, her exspresion was that of disbelief.  
  
" Hermione Granger but you know who I .." Hermione started.  
  
She was cut off by a younger Albus Dumbledore.  
  
" I suggest that we go inside Miss Granger you look like you need to get cleaned up." Albus said pointing at her blood stained and torn robes.  
  
" Yes." Hermione said unsure of her self. " Thank you"  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later Hermione found her self in Albus Dumbledore's office, clean, groomed and freshly robed. Her old robes had been destroyed no doubt, and under her robes she wore a pair of loose fighting blue jeans and am incredibly baggy black T-shirt, apparently her attire was donated by one of the older students it.  
  
" Whats going on Headmaster?" Hermione started. " Where is every one, there are so many new students?"  
  
The old wizard regarded her for a moment, then deciding a course of action he posed a question to her.  
  
" Whats the date today? The full date."  
  
She seemed a little confused but answered. "November 13 2010....Headmaster?" during her answer a look of realization washed over his face.  
  
" That does make things quiet complicated my dear" His eyes were twinkling in a fashion that she had never seen, there was mischief that would rival that of a child's.  
  
" How does it make things complicated? I don't see what's so complicated, you're all alive and Hogwarts is safe. Voldmort's is defeated and my parents are dead. I just want to graduate with my class and go on to live a very normal life"  
  
Dumbledore just looked at her as if she had just grown a second head.  
  
" Miss Granger I believe that if you want to graduate with your class you are going to have to wait 32 years to graduate"  
  
Hermione froze a look of pure horror crewed over her face.  
  
" What do you mean 32 years?"  
  
Dumbledores eyes just twinkled.  
  
" Hermione this is the year 1978 exactly 32 years from today it will be 2010"  
  
Hermione looked at him and felt faint.  
  
"Holly shit!" She whispered and passed out  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later Hermione Granger awoke in the Office of Albus Dumbledore. He was looking at her very comically and after a while started to laugh.  
  
" May I ask what is so funny sir?"  
  
" Nothing. lemon drop?" He said offering her a tiny sweat.  
  
" No thanks. What am I going to do? I can't go back to my time? * She shudders at the memory*  
  
The headmaster looked at her thoughtfully and after a moment possed a question. " Miss Granger.Hermione..What happened? How is it that you are here?"  
  
Hermione froze at his bluntness and then begain to tell her tale, leaving out not a single detail. Every memory was laid forth.  
  
The headmaster only made or possed questions at appropriate places, never interrupting her. After a time he answered her question.  
  
" Of course not, not yet anyway. it would be safer for you to stay here for the time being"  
  
"Yes sir" mumble Hermione still having trouble believing what was going on.  
  
" Now there is the small matter, of which house you will go into," he said this as he walked over to large shelf and plucked none other than the sorting hate off of it.  
  
Hermione was stunned. " Headmaster excuse me but um I'm all ready in a house, I was sorted into Gryffindor!"  
  
Dumbledore laughed. " I relies this, however I would like to confirm this, people change over time and I believe that your adventure may have changed your character and you would be unhappy in your current house, however I could be wrong." His eyes were twinkling. With this he whisked the hat onto her head before she could even say quidditch.  
  
"Humph!? (The hat roared in her ear) You again? . Why do I bother, they never listen to me! (the hat seemed to be in a very bad mood at this present time. ) hmmm. lots of knowledge and a thrist to learn. (the hat chuckled) Very few students have your thirst, imposible to quench your is.....talent.... very good mind  
  
.oh dear....  
  
(Hermione didn't like the sound of that )  
  
Much Pain, agony, loss.... No child or woman should have to indure what you have and will... you must always remember never forget who you are..... lets see(The hat paused for a long moment) .... .Gryffen.  
  
no SLYTHERIN!"  
  
Hermione screamed.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Her mind was reeling, Slytherin how could this have happened she was a Gryffindor! Proud, brave intelligent Gryffindor!  
  
Albus looked at her with amusement, he knew she would have reacted like that. It was well know that Slytherin's and Gryffendor's hated one another from the time that they were sorted to the day there bodies rotted in the earth. It was a hatred that went back generations to the very founders of the houses.  
  
After her initial shock wore of, Hermione was desperately trying to compose her self. Your strong, you can handle this, who knows it might only be for a few weeks, then you can go back home back to Hogwarts back to .nothing. The realization hit her, there was nothing for her back in her time, her friends were dead, the school, her parents, and everything was gone.  
  
A small tear trickled down her face; she bravely brushed it away.  
  
"Now Miss Granger was it? (She nodded) what year did you say you were in?" inquired Dumbledore.  
  
"I'm in seventh year" mumbled Hermione.  
  
"Very good, that's a good bunch of children for you to mix up with, now am I right in saying you have not a galleon to your name?"  
  
Hermione was stunned; she had nothing, absolutely nothing. No money, no home, no nothing.  
  
She merle nodded.  
  
"Very well, now tell me how are you with magical creatures?"  
  
"I have experience with them if that's what you mean, I always go good grades in that class."  
  
"Very well, I have a proposition for you then, we have a new games keeper this year and an assistant is needed to help him keep the grounds under control and is willing to provide money for a half or full time assistant. How would you feel about taking this position, I will personally recommend you."  
  
" OF COURSE!" Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat.  
  
Albus gave her a healthy chuckle. " Very well then, now. I have your new robes, books, quills and every thing else you may need for your time here" He handed her a large bundle of a collection of odds and ends.  
  
"But I haven't paid for them!"  
  
"Do not worry about such things call them a thank you gift."  
  
"Thank you gift but you've only just met me.." Hermione stopped, as there was a loud rapping sound from the office door.  
  
"Come in" boomed Albus.  
  
The door opened and in strode a very tall slightly aged woman. She had silver waist length hair, with traces of its former black, she was warring long black flowing robes, with green under tussle and a long dark purple almost black shawl. The one thing that truly grabbed Hermione attention was the woman's eyes, impassive, dark, intelligent, and likes two long tunnels.  
  
" Ah Professor Lacouse! I see you got my message then?" chided Albus.  
  
"Yes Headmaster I did, is this her then?" Professor Lacouse indicated to a slightly freighted Hermione.  
  
" Yes this is our new student Hermione Granger, Hermione this is Professor Selena Lacouse, potions mistress and head of Slytherin house."  
  
Oh Bugger, thought Hermione. She gave Professor Lacouse a smile and a quick nod, not knowing how to approach such a woman. She gripped tightly on her collection of new supplies, in order to let loss some nerves.  
  
" A pleasure to meet you Hermione" Her voice was like silk, it was oddly familiar.  
  
" Thank you." She mumbled, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice.  
  
" Now Miss Granger if you would please follow me I will take you to your new home while you are here at Hogwarts." With that the woman turned on her heal and walked out of the room robes billowing behind her.  
  
Hermione gave one last look of despair to Albus who was smiling openly at her and followed Professor Lacouse out.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
The walked for what seemed like hours but was only a few minutes through the winding corridors and down into the dungeons. They were cold and damp, not unlike the dungeons in her old time.  
  
Finally the pair of them came to a large painting of a rather cross looking man with plastid black hair and long flowing deep green robes, he had a large cobra circling his arm. The painting was in cased in a large round gold frame that resembled a mirror.  
  
Professor Lacouse turned to Hermione. " This is the entrance to the Slytherin Common room, the pass word it Valances" at the sound of the password the painting swung open revealing the room inside.  
  
Hermione followed Professor Lacouse through, the room was exactly how she pictured it, the walls were made of cold stone and there was no carpet, except for large throw rugs with complicated patterns etched into them. There was a large fireplace, bigger than the one in the Gryffindor common room, in front of it were two dark brown leather couches separated by a large oak table, donned with floating candles. The one thing that caught her eye were the bookcases, every wall was full of large bookcases filled to the brim with tomes and scrolls beckoning to her to read them. She had never seen it before, since her only opportunity had resulted in her becoming a cat/ Human from that blasted polyjuice potion.  
  
Professor Lacouse noted how her expression changed when she saw the books. " A reader then" she whispered.  
  
" A. Yes it's a passion of mine" replied Hermione, stunned that her expression had been so readable.  
  
Professor Lacouse chuckled. " I think you are going to like one of my pupils then, all he does is read."  
  
Hermione didn't answer that, she simply smiled, a smile which was returned.  
  
" Now here (she said indicating to the only two walls that didn't have book cases on them) are the paintings or rather entrances to the dormitories. The one with the Mosmadorma is the girl's dormitory and the one with the Slytherka is the boy's. The password for the girls is Rendadora."  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"Follow me please."  
  
The pair ventured through the portrait and up a long pair of cut stone steps, to a long winding corridor with many dark oak doors.  
  
"Unlike the other houses we value privacy, every student in Slytherin has there own room, follow me"  
  
They came to the end of the hall to an open oak door, Professor Lacouse entered it and Hermione followed.  
  
They entered a circular room with a large four poster bed, a small fireplace, sitting chair and a large rough looking desk.  
  
It was so much more than her old rooms in the Gryffindor house, but in some ways so much less, it lacked the warmth of friendship and familiarity.  
  
"I shall leave you to your rooms, I'm sure you would like to get to know the place before school starts, your lucky you arrived before the rest of the students arrive from summer vacation on Monday so you will have today and tommoro to explore the castle." With that Professor Lacouse swept out of the room and away from the slightly shocked and very nervous woman.  
  
" Did she just say that the students would be arriving back from summer vacation?! Good lord! I have to start my seventh year over! " She mumbled to herself in great aww.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Closing the door behind her she immediately began exploring her new surroundings. She had her own room, and bathroom which of course was done up in the traditional greens and silvers.  
  
Entering the bathroom she got the first glimpse of her self that she had had in days. Her unruly hair was a disaster; it looked as though a blender had attacked it. Pulling out her wand she mutters a slight cleaning spell, and added a soft-straightening spell to make it more manageable. Her chestnut color hair now flowed gently with a slight curl and gave off its normal healthy shine.  
  
She then took a look at her attire. This must have been what Harry felt when he had to ware Dudley's old clothing. The word Elephant skin came to mind. Well Harry wasn't an accomplished witch ahem wizard when he had to ware the clothing.  
  
She tapped her wand to the pitch-black shirt and shrunk it considerably, making it tight around the chest, stomach and arms. Over the years at Hogwarts she had eventually discovered that she didn't have to dress like a prat to be a good student, she never when over board with skirts and heels but always wore something well more revealing off her less then horrible figure.  
  
Next she tapped the jeans, they became tighter and fitted in the hips and long in the legs. She turned to leave but stoped and spun around to look back at the mirror. The T- Shirt that she had shrunk had shrunk in length in the arms relieving for the first time......Oh god! Panic flushed across her face. What is that! Oh Gods he really did do that to me!  
  
On her left arm was a burned black scar of a serpent pentagram.  
  
She looked around for anything that could remove it, she grabbed soap and washed it until it was red and bruised. She found a legs shaver and tried to cut it off in her desperation. Magic, force, soap nothing would remove the damned thing.  
  
She was marked for life.  
  
Fresh tears flowed down her cheeks as she cried out in despare, her sobs of grief could be heard through out the hall. It was no use.  
  
After while she calmed down a bit to think clearly. She pulled out her wand and mutted a slight cover up charm, one that girls normaly use on there face on the mark.  
  
Thankfully when the charm was finished there was no sign of the mark, but that didn't mean that it still wasn't there.  
  
I'll figure it out, my fate wont be decided by that monster again she told her self.  
  
After drying her tears and washing her face she had only one more thing before she could go out and explore Slytherin House.  
  
She had to put on her new robes.  
  
They were the normal black robes except like her old Gryffindor robes they had a thick lining of green instead of the normal red lining around the arms, and hem.  
  
" Well I'm hear now, might as well get it over with".  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later Hermione finally gathered up enough courage to venture out of her room on her own. Now decked out in her new Slytherin robes she was plainly terrified that there would be a lot of students in the common room. She nearly slapped herself when she relized that she might be the only student her due to summer vacation.  
  
Climbing out of the girl's dormitory she was relieved to find that there wasn't any one in the common room, probably a quidditch match going on she thought.  
  
Taking a final look around she walked over to one of the many books filled shelves and selected a rather large green leather bound book.  
  
" Slytherin house: A history.well might as well" she mumbled to her self- taking a seat on one of the large couches.  
  
With in minute she was deeply immersed in the strangely exciting ways of the Slytherin house.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione was half way through the book when the door to the common room open, she nearly had to smack her self to keep from running away, she had never been so nervous in her life. Looking up towards the door she noticed that two people a girl and a boy had just entered.  
  
The boy was walking slightly in front of the girl. He had medium length blond hair and ice like eyes, and possibly the most handsome face to be seen. However that's as far as her liking went, he walked with a cruel stride and she would bet a thousand galleons that he had an ego on him like a freight train.  
  
To his left was a short blonde hared girl, with a pretty face, her eye were a light green. The only thing that truly stood out was the fact that her robes were not downed in green but in the Ravenclaw blue.  
  
The boy finally realized that Hermione was in the room. He turned and walked over to her, the girl followed.  
  
" So it's true we do have a new girl in the house!" He sneered at her.  
  
Hermione was taken aback by the rudeness and the sheer well coldness that the boy had expressed to her. She was reminded of Draco Malfoy. He always ran around the school like he ran the place calling her a Mudblood she never said anything because she was too polite. Little misses Polite Hermione Granger. He would always walk all over her.  
  
She would not allow this boy to do the same. She stood up from her sitting position on the couch and held her head up high. She was only an inch shorter than he was (over the years she had grown rather tall); her brown honey flecked eyes glaring into his ice blue ones.  
  
" Ya I guess I'm, do you have a problem with that" she snapped.  
  
She realized that this was not the smartest thing to do, the little Ravenclaw girl to the boys left paled visibly and took a slight step back. The boy however looked surprised.  
  
" Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" he whispered. " No one talks to me like that"  
  
" Oh well please correct my mistake please do tell me who I have the pleasure of meeting" She said in a clearly sarcastic voice. In the distance she heard the portrait entrance open and another person walk in. Other than that her attention was focused fully on the jerk in front of her.  
  
He stared at her for a moment. " Im Lucius Malfoy and you had better watch it"  
  
Holly shit Oh my god. How far did I got back? Hermione's mind was racing, no wonder she had thought of that bastered Malfoy, and this was his bloody father, the soon to be if not already death eater, maybe I should have been nicer, hold on there Hermione your not going to be nice to some ass hole who will probably end up killing your friends and probably killed your family. She wouldn't back down!  
  
She gave him a smile and a mock bow. " Oh forgive me lord Lucius, I didn't know I was in the presence of such greatness." She couldn't help it she laughed.  
  
He gave her a look that could curdle cheese. With a swish of robes he walked out of the common room, the little Ravenclaw in tow.  
  
" Well that was a perfect start, good going Granger." She sneered at herself.  
  
" A little rough but over all not bad" came a silky male voice.  
  
She turned around to see a tall, lean figured boy looking up at her from one of the tables scattered across the room. He had eyes like black coals and his hair was as black as a ravens feathers and was scattered none ceremoniously.  
  
Partly in shock that she hadn't noticed him there before and partly embarrassed that he had seen her bitch out at a fellow Slytherin.  
  
" Ya sorry about that" she mumbled.  
  
He laughed its sent shivers down her spine. " Don't be Lucius is a prat. You might want to watch it though he might be a prat but he doesn't walk around like he owns the place with out good reason."  
  
Hermione lifted her eyebrows. " Right then, thank you." Not really wanting to get involved in another conversation with a Slytherin. She turned to walk back up to the girl's dorm.  
  
" Hey Granger!" he whispered.  
  
She turned again to face the boy. " How did you know my last name?"  
  
He chuckled to himself, his eyes lighting up as he turned on a light sneer. " You were talking to your self if you don't remember."  
  
She blushed at her own stupidity. " Damn it. Well so much for that, my brains have just gone on vacation."  
  
He gave her a slight smile. " What's your full name?"  
  
She sighed. " Hermione Granger and you are?" she didn't try to leave out the sarcasm in her voice. She really didn't care.  
  
He noted her sarcasm, but chose to ignore it. He spoke now in a complete emotionless state, his black eyes burning into her amber ones.  
  
" I'm Severus Snape." 


	6. The other side of the line

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
She faltered; her mind was swimming desperately trying to take in the new information. Lucius she could handle had had very little effect on her life, only the fact that his son had made her life a living hell was how she knew him. This however was different. Thinking back to the cruel comments, the vindictive lectures, the put downs, the sneers. The blind hatred. How he had made her seven years at Hogwarts a living hell. Would she ever be free of this monster?  
  
She must have been staring because he made a point of it.  
  
"S-Sorry, you.. You just remind me of someone that's all" she lied and not very convincingly.  
  
He just stared at her, his black eyes burning her, scanning her, taking in her form. He gave her a quizzical look.  
  
" I see you changed the garments." He mused in a slight and very familiar sneer.  
  
She looked down, only now realizing that the jeans and shirt she had altered were male. Realization dawned. Shit!  
  
" Are they yours by any chance?" she said with a new nervousness.  
  
He nodded and continued looking at her, as if he knew she didn't belong. No He knew she didn't belong. Finally he shrugged his shoulders. " Yes they are but if you don't mind me saying I don't want them back now."  
  
Hermione looked at him in indigence and raised her head and nose up in the air like a snooty little Slytherin. Give him a look that said, watch it buster. It didn't have the desired affect at all; he just raised his eyebrows and gave her a look that made her feel pathetic. As always, like a little girl, a child, inferior to himself.  
  
Then he did something she never thought he would do, he gave her a smile, and started laughing. Even though he had laughed and smiled before it was different this time, this time he was Severus Snape!  
  
" What may I ask is so funny?" She said in mock superiority, she was still trying to get past the idea that he couldn't expel her if she was a smart- ass around him.  
  
" You!" He sneered.  
  
"Me?" she said in surprise.  
  
" Yes you, you and that pathetic attempt to act like you're all high and mighty!" He continued to laugh at her.  
  
Hermione blushed, and gave him a hurt look. Much to her surprise he winked at her. She graced him with a small smirk.  
  
" What can I say Im not cut out for the ruler of the world routine" she mused, finding the incredibly old that she was standing here across from her soon to be potions master, laughing with him! It was preposterous.  
  
It also scared her almost more than Voldmort.  
  
"Um I a have to go." With out a backward glance she sprinted back through the portrait and up to her room. Cursing what ever gods were gazing down at her, and those which governed the students arivil at hogwarts.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Once back up in her room she flopped down on her bed desperately wishing that she were home, but in other ways not.. She was so confused, every thing was so wrong. She wasn't supposed to be here, no in 1978, not in Slytherin house and not any ware near Lucius and Snape!  
  
Tears began running down her cheek, why couldn't she have just died with her friends! Why did Voldmort pick her, she was a mungle born know it all witch with little to her aid except every library book known to man! This wasn't supposed to happen!  
  
Suddenly a pain shot across her left arm, she screamed out in pain. Pulling back her robe on her left arm she saw the mark that Voldmort had left on her, it was giving off intense heat and was starting to rip open at the edges, blood began to seep out of her wound.  
  
She winced trying to hold back her tears of pain and fright. She ran over to the sink in her bathroom and placed her arm underneath the taps letting the cool water attempt to soothe the burning sensation that was attacking her.  
  
She held it there for what seemed like hours until finally the pain subsided, not completely but enough to be manageable.  
  
She wouldn't let it beat her! Voldmort would not beat her this mark would not beat her. She starred at the mark in determination.  
  
" You won't get me" she snarled.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
For the rest of the weekend Hermione stayed in her rooms the shock of what had really happened in the future or the to be future was so intense that she wept for the loss of her friends, also if she left her room she would have to face Snape or a rather peeved off Lucius. She wasn't sure she was ready for either.  
  
When Monday came around Hermione woke up at the crack of dawn, nervousness racking her body. Why was she so nervous? Its not like this is your first day of school. No her Mind shouted back at her it was exactly like her first day of school, she was the new girl, once again.  
  
Once she readied her self-pulling back her massive array of hair into a tight bun that would have made McGonigall proud she pulled on her new robes and uniform. Scanning the timetable that Dumbledore had given her she just about fainted as she read what her first class was going to be.  
  
"Oh Shit" she whispered aloud.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
On Monday morning Hermione's first class's in her new time were to begin. She had been very cocky thinking that every classroom and subject would be in the same place as it had been in the year 2010.  
  
She was sorely mistaken.  
  
Rushing through corridors at a flat sprint Hermione was panicking, she was going to be late. Damn your stupid knows it all attitudes she cursed at her self. Turning a sharp corner that hopefully led down to the dungeons Hermione wasn't paying attention.  
  
WHUMP!  
  
"Shit!" came an annoyed male voice; it had a slight rasp to it, and once again sounded incredibly familiar.  
  
Hermione opened her eyes, which had been closed since the impact, only to find her self-lying sprawled on top of soot hared boy. He gave her a look of shock and then looked at her robes. Seeing the green mark of Slytherin he quickly and roughly pushed her off of him.  
  
She landed flat on her back.  
  
"Watch where you're going Slytherin scum!" The boy snarled at her.  
  
Hermione looked at him is shock, feeling her anger begin to build. The she noticed that he had the red mark of Gryffindor on his robes.  
  
How could such an ass hole be a Gryffindor! She screamed at her self.  
  
He gave her a look that made her feel like dirt, when both of them realized that their equipment were mixed together, they snarled at one another. Bending down to pick up her fallen Potion supplies she muttered under her breath. " Asshole!"  
  
His eyes snapped up to hers, he glared at her and much to her horror pushed her back down on her backside. All of her regained supplies scattered across the corridor.  
  
" What the fuck was that for!" She screamed at him, not caring that her profanity could loss her serious house points. Hell it wasn't her real house anyway!  
  
" You were in my way." He spat and gave her another snarl, returning back to his collecting. Suddenly there was a large very long fingered hand on his shoulder pulling him back.  
  
"And your in mine!" came a low but none the less powerful voice, it sent chills down her spine. She looked up and her eyes were caught once again in the deep pools of darkness of Severus Snape.  
  
The boy pulled away from Snape, pushing him back hard, but not hard enough for him to loss his balance.  
  
" Well if it isn't the slimy git himself!" The boy spat.  
  
" Must you always use the same insults over and over it gets truly tiresome Black"  
  
Hermione's eyes bulged almost out of her skull. That Scumbage was none other than her best friends Godfather.  
  
Sirius Black!  
  
Sirius turned to face Snape his nostrils flaring; he pulled back his left arm making a fist, looking as though he was going to strike him.. Hermione would have put money one it too had there not been a voice from behind them that made all three of them jump.  
  
" I wouldn't do that if I were you Black!"  
  
Lucius Malfoy walked in front of Snape, giving Hermione a glare, which then turned on Sirius.  
  
" Well Well if it isn't Sirius Black" He then through back his head and gave out a throty laugh. " I thought you had better things to do then to abuse scrawny little girls (Hermione glared at him) and pick fights with Hermits! (Snape just sneered down at him, he was a least two feet taller than Lucius)."  
  
" Would you rather have me pick on you Lucius?"  
  
Lucius just cast him a waving hand. " Black will you just stop wasting precious air with idle threats, we both know what happened last time you tried to."Fight" me" He laughed again.  
  
Black just glared at him, snarled and walked away in a swirl of robes. He could be heard muttering curses, and there was a large amount of words that she had never heard before.  
  
" What a dick!" mumbled Hermione.  
  
Lucius laughed. " That about sums it up, you might want to watch out for him, since you can't protect your self."  
  
Hermione glared at him, there were so many hexes and jinxes she wanted to cast on him, every one of them was likely to get her expelled. Her eyes wandered to Snape, he was standing slightly behind Lucius obviously very interested on how this was going to turn out. He raised his eyes as her expression darkened.  
  
" I think I can take care of my self thank you very much" she said in a huff.  
  
Lucius laughed again. " God! You're pathetic! I saved your ass, you should be kissing mine!"  
  
" I wouldn't go near your ass with a ten foot poll!" she spat.  
  
" You wouldn't have to because I don't let people as pathetic as those Mudblood they let in the school come close to me."  
  
That was enough for Hermione, how dare he! She ran right up to his blond face and connected her fist, not palm with his eye.  
  
Not waiting to see what Lucius was going to do she magicked her books back into her arms and ran down the hall, hopefully in the direction of the potions class.  
  
She ran away so fast that she didn't see the stunned looks on Lucius's and Severus's face. 


	7. Potions class

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
It took Hermione fifteen minutes after her run in with Sirius and Lucius to find the potion room. The anger that was surging through her seemingly impaired her judgment, she passed the potions room twice. IT was only when she saw a very disgruntled looking Gryffindor girl enter the room that she had passed did she realize her error.  
  
When she entered the potions class, the very same potions class that Severus Snape the evil master of the dark liquids had taught in she was shocked to see how very little had changed over the years. The room still smelled strongly of Molly roots and a slight tinge of rotmoss mingled wonderfully with it. Had she not hated the teacher with a passion back in her own time she would have said that potions class was her favorite subject.  
  
Scanning the room, which was now filled with students from the houses of Slytherin and RavenClaw, she noticed two things. One Lucius Malfoy was trying to kill her with glares of mass hatred, apparently he had not forgotten there little conversation, she couldn't help but smirk at seeing that around his eye there was a slight bruising beginning to take affect. The second was that there was only one seat left in the room to the far right of the front of the class, right next to Snape.  
  
She sighed managing to pull up a strand of courage from her depths she walked over to where Snape was sitting. He gave her a very weird look, raising an eye brown and then glancing down the length of her; he scowled and then softened. She returned his look with a scowl of her own.  
  
" Do you mind if I sit here?" she inquired with sarcasm, as it was the only seat in the room.  
  
He merle nodded giving her permission to sit by him, pulling out her chair she couldn't help but notice that some of the other Slytherin's and most of the Gryffendor's in the room were giving her very weird looks.  
  
" Why are they staring at me?" She whispered to the side of her.  
  
" Its normal, there judging you, just think your entire school career will be judged on how you perform in class and with people" She couldn't help but notice the vile spit that came off every word. This apparently was a sore spot for him. She merle nodded and started pulling out her books.  
  
Suddenly and for some reason this all seemed very familiar to Hermione, the doors to the potion room were flung open and in strode Professor Lacouse, her now deep green robes trimmed with purple billowed out behind her. She headed straight for the front of the class; there was something rather familiar about all this. Turning on her heel Professor Lacouse faced the class her dark obsidian eyes piercing into the soles of every student in the room.  
  
She cast a look at Hermione. She couldn't help but hold her breath, those eyes trailed the length of Hermione, judging her but making no standing comment, she looked to her left to were Snape was sitting. Hermione couldn't be sure but she thought she saw the Professor's eyes soften to him.  
  
" Today we will be making a simple comma inducing potion, Please (her voice rose slightly) be reminded that we will be testing your potions on yourselves just before the end of the class, I suggest you get it right"  
  
Hermione merle nodded, she had made this potion before in Snape's class, now she was IN Snape's class. This shouldn't be any different.  
  
" Now" Professor Lacouse continued. " Do to the fact that this can be a very dangerous potion I will be pairing you off into groups of three." Hermione saw several people look around mouthing partner proposals to one another. " However! I will be pairing you up so that we will actually get some work done!"  
  
A nervous shiver went around the room, now doubt there would be outer house pairings; this always proved to be very dangerous.  
  
In a total of five minutes time, Hermione was trying to fight a heart attack, she was paired with a rather nice dark brown haired Gryffindor girl whom she hadn't met yet, and none other then the great so to be "Greasy Git".  
  
Will this day get any worse, she thought to her self.  
  
After a brief briefing the groups collected their things and migrated to there respect workstations. Hermione soon realized that Professor Lacouse hadn't put her and Snape together out of spite, he was actually a rather impressive lab partner. His caution and exact preseason with the ingredients and methods were amazing; she found her watching every move he made with fascination.  
  
Little did she know that he was thinking the same thing about her.  
  
The other girl who's name she still did not know, was rather playful and had tried to converse with Hermione several times, but due to her first day jitters she found she was not the greatest conversation worker. What amazed Hermione the most was that the girl did not seem to mind being place with two Slytherin's (even if one was an ex - Gryffindor).  
  
Finally there potion was ready, it had achieve a soft blue huge that was required. Professor Lacouse came by and nodded approvingly at the group.  
  
" Which one of you would like to test the potion?" she inquired after looking over there notes.  
  
There was a slight pause between the three of them; each one wondering which one would take the plunge.  
  
" I will" Whispered Hermione, surprised at her own daring. She didn't notice that Snape's eyes bulged slightly at this, he knew there was nothing wrong with the potion, but it still amazed him that the girl had guts.  
  
" Very well Miss Granger" Murmured Professor Lacouse, she then preceded to pull out a chair, motioning for Hermione to sit. Then she ladled out some of the blue potion into a small vile and handed it to her.  
  
With out a second thought Hermione downed the small portion of their concoction; unknown to her was the fact that the whole class was watching her.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione was walking through a field of golden hugged wheat, the softness of it seamed to bring New Hope to her heart. She stared out at the cornflower blue sky dotted with fluffy cotton clouds. Peaceful.  
  
Then it changed.  
  
Dark clouds rolled over the horizon of the fields of wheat, each stalk at the shadow from the clouds touched it withered and died, it began to rain. Not life giving water but a dark rich liquid.  
  
Blood.  
  
There was screaming, it sounded so familiar, she heard cries of people she knew. Ron, Harry. The clouds began moving towards her, her arm burned. She began to run, faster then she could physically go. The clouds behind her began to take a shape; she chanced a look back.  
  
It was the face of Voldmort; he was coming for her! " No" She screamed as his eyes lit up a deadly Poisson red.  
  
She was running looking back that she didn't realize that she was in front of Hogwarts, looking around madly she heard the shout of a woman in distress. Momentarily forgetting Voldmort she ran towards the screams.  
  
There on the grass was a circle of Death eaters, and there she was in the middle, being branded by that vile basterd!  
  
Then she saw it; a dark figure ran towards the grouping just as Voldmort was sending her back in time. The figure intervened. She moved closer, she had to see the man who saved her, she already new who it was, she had seen this once before. She just had to see it again.  
  
She saw herself diasper, and a curse muttered from the ranks of death eaters. The body of her savior hit the ground. She couldn't help but cry out as she saw that he died with a smile on his face.  
  
She screamed.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione came awake! Gasping she sat up flinging her arms around the nearest thing to her, a warm body, comforting. She was shivering, the memories of her friends and her fate were two much she wanted to cry, and those blasted tears were beginning to fall.  
  
It wasn't until a hand came to the small of her back that she realized were she was, and that she was clinging to a stranger. She looked up to see the concerned face of Professor Lacouse standing behind the figure she was clinging to. After calming slightly her body still shivering she realized that there were only four people in the room, herself, Lacouse, the person she was holding and the girl she had worked with.  
  
Who was she holding?  
  
She started to breathe normally; suddenly she found the most pleasant sent drifting to her senses. It was a thick deep smell, like a forest after a rainfall.  
  
Hermione pulled back a bit, the events of her nightmare soon to be reality still fresh in her mind. As she pulled back she found herself lost in obsidian eyes; they were laced with concern, and in some way slight amusement. She saw a strand of raven black hair from the person, whom she decided was a man, stray across his face.  
  
Oh God. She realized whom she was clinging to. It was Severus Snape, why was she holding on to Snape. Nerves she told her self, you just had a traumatic experience and he was the closest thing you could grab when you woke up.Hermione she yelled at herself . you can let go now.HERMIONE LET GO, screamed her subconscious. Reluctantly she let go of him.  
  
"Miss Granger are you all right?" Came the very concerned voice of her head of house.  
  
"Wh- What? Oh! um yes Professor Im fine, I just had a nightmare that's all" Hermione wasn't really paying attention.  
  
" My dear I think it is safe to say that you and your group will be getting top marks regardless of the fact that you made the potion to strong." Whispered Professor Lacouse in a soft but strong voice.  
  
" To strong?" She looked at the Professor, but once again wasn't really paying attention, she watched as Snape backed away from her leaving her to converse with the professor. Why had he been so close?  
  
" Yes, not to worry though, you won't have any after affects I can assure you"  
  
"Thank you Professor."  
  
Lacouse clapped her hands together. " Now I believe you three have classes I shall write you notes as to explain your absence. Severus, Lilly thank you for your help."  
  
Hermione blanched. Had she just said Lilly? As in Lilly Potter or rather Lilly Evan's! No, that couldn't be. Some where in her mind it yelled at her in a highly annoyed voice. " God your Stupid! Of course it could be, you're in the correct time frame where the hell has your mind gone!"  
  
" I can't believe Im scolding myself" Hermione mumbled trying to silence her nagging subconscious.  
  
She would have liked to have talked to the mother of her future best friend but a soon as the note of explanation was placed into Lilly's hand she turned and raced out of the room to her next class. Followed by Lacouse who had other things to do.  
  
Hermione's eyes followed Lilly, and she was vaguely aware that Snape had come up beside her and was trying to get her attention.  
  
"Excuse me!" He hissed at her. " Has the potion damaged your brain cells or do you just fail to realize that you are very late for class?"  
  
She turned back at him, giving him her best impression of his trade mark scowl that she had seen every day for the last seven years. It worked; he raised his eyebrows in surprise, then much to her amazement laughed.  
  
" You know Mungle born you really do amaze me!" he laughed. Hermione couldn't tell if he was laughing at her or just laughing out loud.  
  
Then it hit her. What had he just SAID? How did he know? Oh gods if he told any one from Slytherin house she would never live it down. Hermione wasn't ashamed that she was mungle born but truth be told she was scared shitless of the Slytherin's knowing that she was. They had always prided themselves on being pure blood; she didn't even want to think about what they would do if they found out.  
  
"What makes you say that?" she whispered.  
  
His eyes flashed at her. " It really wasn't that hard to figure out. I've known since two days ago when you first arrived."  
  
" Why didn't you say anything before?" she mumbled, fear was starting to trickle in.  
  
" I had to be sure and after your little display in the hallway with Lucius I knew." He was referring to when she smacked Lucius for the comment he made about Mudblood's.  
  
It was pointless to try and hid this from him, he already knew and would surely tell the rest of the Slytherin's. She was as good as dead.  
  
Snape noticed that her face had paled visibly, and her eyes were beginning to could over with fear. " I won't say anything. I just wanted to know if it was true."  
  
Now Hermione was on her guard. " What's in it for you if you hold your tong on this issue?" she glared maliciously at him.  
  
"Absolutely nothing, I don't blackmail people, especially people with enough nerve to give Lucius Malfoy a black eye." He gave her a slight grin, well as much as Snape could grin.  
  
" I think I will take that as a compliment." She laughed. Then stopped quickly, what was she doing she was laughing with Snape! Her soon to be Professor Snape! He looked at her strangely when she paled again. He took a step closer to her and looked her in the eyes.  
  
"You have my word that I will not tell a soul that you come from mungle heritage, that is for you to do." She shuddered at the soft and almost caring voice that he had used. He gave her an encouraging look.  
  
" Why don't you care that Im Mungle born?" She wanted to smack herself for blurting that out.  
  
" Mungle are no different then Wizards and Witches, Besides the wizard world would have died out years ago if it weren't for them." His voice was like velvet and he barely moved his lips as he spoke.  
  
Hermione was stunned beyond belief, she had no idea that her soon to be death eater/ Potions master actually didn't believe in the mungle bull shit that some wizards lived by. She took a step forward towards him, for the first time she really looked at the man, he was tall (taller then she remembered, but then she had never seen him as a human being before, and never paid much attention to him.) He had a hooked nose, but not so severely hooked that it would appear grotesque. He had high well-defined cheekbones and a slightly pale skin tone. Other then that she could not tell any other physical attribute about him, his robes covered every thing else.  
  
She didn't want to know anything about what was under those robes, he might be civil and almost nice but it didn't make up for all those years that she had to in dure his constant banter and put-downs. She truly wanted to strangle him; no this was not that person who she wanted to strangle that person would evolve from the boy.  
  
" Well I think we better get to class" She mumbled.  
  
He merle nodded and the two of them walked in silence out of the potion room. Neither of them noticed the pair of dark obsidian eyes watching Severus with pride and Hermione with a sense of wonder.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
If it was possible Hermione Granger was now more confused then she had ever been in her entire life. Thoughts were constantly forcing there way into her mind.  
  
All of them included Severus Snape.  
  
Of course he was a vile bastard, and she knew what the future held for him.  
  
However for the breif few moments that He had held her in the potions class room in his long arms and she listend to his steady hartbeat. Something just felt right.  
  
Hermione thought to her self. It might have felt right but nothing had ever been so wrong.  
  
She could allow her self to get attatched to anything in this time. Exspecialy not the vile shovanistic baster potion master of the future's younger self.  
  
Hell she didn't know why this was bothering her.  
  
However little did Hermione know that it did some where dead in her hart when Snape and herself had talked about her hearatige something had wedged itself through the baricade that she was beginning to errect around her hart.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
All thoughts of the mornings happening were shoved out of Hermione's mind when Dumbldore came to her after her last class and informed her that she was to meet the game keeper outside to begin her job.  
  
When she arrived out side to meet the game keeper she just about jumped and squeeled in delight as a familiar figure, taller then the rest strode over a hill on the hogwarts grounds to great her.  
  
"Hagrid!" She screemed, then mentaly checked her self relizing that Hargid would know her. A fimilair hurt welled up inside of her.  
  
A younger hargid then she remebered peered down at her from his dark beetle like eyes.  
  
"You must be the new girl, Dumbldore told me that you have experience with my line O work?" His voice was the same except that there was none of the welcoming warmth that he had had with her when she was in her own time.  
  
She mentaly cursed her self, Hagrid hated Slytherins. Thus he hated her. After all it was a Slytherin who cost him his chance to become a wizard. (reffering to tom riddle).  
  
"Yes sir" she said with the utmost respect.  
  
Hagrid seemed taken aback from this and gave her a good long look.  
  
"All wright then better get started." He bagain walking towards the same grass covered house that Hermione had been in many times. It had changed very little. He didn't give her so much as a backwards glance.  
  
Instead of stopping and going into the building he went around to the left side towards the back. Hermione followed with little interest.  
  
When she came around the corning Hagrid was leaning against a large paddock. Correction there had to have been about fourty of them. In side the one that he was leaning against was a rather interesting looking animal. One that Hermione had only seen in books or rather read about them.  
  
The creature had the body of a wolf and the head of a horse. Only instead of the normal dull grey or brown colorings that was seen from both animals the fur of the animal was a deep posionus purple. It had a long black tail that belonged to the cat family. The animal was currently consuming a large portion of meat, what kind of animal it was eating she did not know. It raised its magnificent head and barred long viper like fangs.  
  
" A Stapledraph?" she whispered in aww.  
  
Hagrid turned to her with a very surprised look on his large bearded face.  
  
"How'd you know?" He grunted.  
  
Hermione just smiled. " I've always been interested in magical creatures and exspecialy those that aren't well understood." This was not a lie, she had always found that even though Hagrid had some of the most horendus creatures imaginable there were also the most increadibly interesting things second only to books.  
  
Hagrid offered her a warmer smile then his first.  
  
" Good, I can see were going to get along fine then" He exclamed.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
She spent an hour with Hagrid helping him and learning how to care for some of the most amazing animals. She couldn't help thinking that this was for shawdowing for what might come in the future for him. He was going to be a hell of a Care of Magical Creatures teacher.  
  
Now she was finished her classes for the day and had a few hours before dinner. She wanted nothing more then to take a bath and read a good book.  
  
While walking down the main corridor she saw the little blond RavenClaw that she had noticed with Lucius on her first day. The girl seemed very nervous around her, in fact she seemed very nervous around any student who donned the green trimmed robes.  
  
Hermione decided that this girl would not be afraid of her and was going to show her that she wasn't as bad as the rest of her "house".  
  
"Excuse me?" Hermione called to the girl. She turned and gave Hermione a nervous look.  
  
" Yes?" her voice was a little shaky.  
  
Hermione thought quickly. " Im afraid Im lost could you help me find the library?"  
  
The girl looked a little shocked and Hermione noticed it. " What's wrong?" she asked the blond girl.  
  
" Are you sure you're a Slytherin?"  
  
Hermione was a little confused. " Yes, I'm why?"  
  
"Your not yelling at me like the rest of them and your were polite."  
  
Hermione was a little baffled.  
  
" Oh.so um could you help me?"  
  
The girl brightened seeing that Hermione wasn't going to yell at her for the comment about her house. " Sure follow me.by the way my name is Narccissa Ascisk what's yours?"  
  
Hermione tripped over her feet and fell flat on her face.  
  
" Oh Gods are you ok." Screamed Narccissa, as she bent down to help her.  
  
Hermione was quite embarrassed but more then just embarrassed she was shocked, this was Narccissa, Draco Malfoy mother and Lucius Malfoys soon to be wife. Would wonders never cease?  
  
" Oh thanks, Im just a bit clumsy at times nothing to worry about." Mumbled Hermione while taking Narccissa's hand that was offered to help her up.  
  
"Thank you, by the way my name is Hermione Granger."  
  
" Your that girl that I saw in the Slytherin Common room aren't you?" asked Narccissa.  
  
"Yes I'm, sorry about what happened, Lucius just really gets under my skin."  
  
Narccissa laughed. " He does that with every one, he's not as bad as you think though, he has a whole other side to him its really amazing."  
  
" Well I haven't seen it yet so I will keep my eyes open." Laughed Hermione, she was finding Narccissa's company to be quite pleasant.  
  
" You still wana go to the library? I was heading there anyway, we might as well go together." Hermione thought Narccissa for some reason looked starved for friend ship.  
  
" Of course lead the way!" Chimed Hermione. 


	8. A snake Bite

~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had been a week since Hermione Granger had traveled back through time, a week since she had lost everything in the world to her, a week since she had received the brand of Voldmort's possession. It had been a week since the nightmares began.  
  
She would wake up a night in a cold sweat, screaming and thrashing. She had stopped sleeping in the green covers of her bed; they felt like a noose around her neck while she slept. The nightmares were dark and vivid, but she could never remember any of the details, all that she could remember was the dark red eyes that loomed over her, calling her and the screams of her friends.  
  
Other then the nightmares Hermione was finding it less difficult to fit in with the students of Hogwarts. She hadn't had any other conversations with her Slytherin house mates, including her soon to be potions teacher and Lucius Malfoy. She just avoided them, not making eye contact with any of the green clad students.  
  
She had made friends, if that was what you could call it, with Narccissa. The both were considered the odd ones out at the school. Narccissa was quiet and shy but more intelligent then Hermione would have given credit to, especially since she would spawn Draco Malfoy.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione woke up once again in a cold sweat, panting and feeling the need to throw up. This quickly subsided.  
  
" I can't keep doing this, every night the same bloody dreams" Hermione whispered to herself. Then wincing in from the pain in her arm that suddenly started growing. Quickly she walked over to the bathroom and thrusted her arm under the tap waiting for the pain to stop.it didn't the water that touched the mark only turned to steam. She cried out as the pain increased.  
  
Gripping her arm as though it would fall off she threw on her Slytherin robe and dashed out of her room. The mark on her arm felt as though it was trying to saw through the bone.  
  
Sprinting down the long stair case she catapulted out of the portrait into the common room, there were at least twenty of her housemates looking at her like she was crazy and in need of drugs. She was sprinting so fast not caring where she was going as long as she could get out of here that she ran right into Severus Snape.  
  
"Oomph!" mumbled Snape as he fell onto the ground, Hermione on top of him. His dark eyes were trying to discover the reason for her rushing into him.  
  
"Are you all right?" He whispered in a dark voice.  
  
Hermione just winced at the pain in her arm; she grabbed it and jumped off of Snape bolting through the Slytherin common room out into the Hogwarts hall.  
  
"What was that all about" came the cold voice of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Severus just shook his head. " Damned if I know, that girl is rather weird."  
  
Lucius just nodded. Looking towards the door were Hermione had just run through.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione ran down the twisting halls and corridors in search of the great stone Gargoyle that housed the office of Headmaster dumbledore. She was beginning to think that she was never going to make it to the statue, her arm throbbed mercilessly, making her want to scream out. She didn't though for the fear that if she started she might never be able to stop.  
  
Finally she reached the looming figure of the gargoyle, and was about to start naming off sweets and candies when the statue sprung aside. Hermione just about fainted when she saw the figure of the Headmaster of Hogwarts standing before her.  
  
" Ah Miss Granger I believe you have something that you need to discus with me?" he chimed in his always-pleasant voice.  
  
Hermione just nodded, the pain in her arm was so blinding that it made her unable to speak. Dumbledore turned on his heel, walking back up the stairs that led to his office, Hermione dumbly followed.  
  
"Now Hermione, perhaps you would like to tell me what happened the day that you arrived here?" His eyes held the marry twinkle and knowledge that he already knew what she was going to say.  
  
Hermione was about to begging to talk when a fresh surge of pain seared through her arm. She gave a tinny wince having promised her self long ago that she would not let that bastard Voldmort win. Screaming would allow him to.  
  
Dumbledore gave her a sad smile and reached into his robes and pulled out his wand, he took hold of her left arm were the source of all her misery was situated. He pulled back the sleeve of her robe, and was able to see for the first time what caused the girl so much pain.  
  
Hermione looked at it the same as Dumbledore, she palled visibly. The scar was now a ravenous black and there was blood trickling down the edges, the mark looked at though it would truly burn right through her arm if given the chance.  
  
Dumbledore rubbed his thumb over the mark, his smile was now gone. Thoughts were running though his head at lightning speed. How could such a young girl have her fate decided as such? He knew who did this, he knew what was going to happen to the girl, realization dawned over him of why the girl was sent back to this time.but why now, not earlyer?  
  
Hermione was squirming trying to break her mind away from the pain. Dumbledore noticed this and brought his wand to the mark. Hope surged through Hermione.but then it died, as did the pain. The marks pain was gone, but the mark its self was the same.  
  
" Thank you" She whispered, trying not to show her disappointment.  
  
" You have nothing to thank me for, I wish I could remove it but that is for someone else to do." He looked at her gravely. " I think its time you told me how you received this."  
  
Hermione blanched, telling him would reveal things about the future, it could destroy time, thinking back she realized that it would be better for her to tell and for time to be destroyed then for the world to have to face the fate that would undoubtedly come.  
  
She took in breath and started her story, leaving no detail out, from the beginning with the tale of harry potter and how his parents died, to when Ron and Harry both perished at the hands of the death eaters.she came finally to the end, tears were threatening to fall, but she built up a wall of ice around her emotions that she would not allow it. She told him of how the death eaters had circled her, how Voldmort had burned her.How Snape had saved her?  
  
He did didn't he? She told herself. So even the cold and merciless potion master could show a bit of compassion.  
  
Dumbledore through this entire telling had not moved but looked thought full. He finally looked at her. " Thank you Miss Granger, I hope that you will not waste this chance that has been bestowed on you." He gave her a very weird look; Hermione couldn't place the emotions that passed over his face.  
  
" Sir how can I get rid of this" she indicated to her arm. " Why does it hurt?"  
  
Dumbledore gave a heavy sigh. " Im afraid that I know of no way to remove it Hermione, it was place there for a dark purpose.as for the reason that it hurts, it does that when Voldmort calls to it, much like the dark mark he places on his followers to call them. This however is different, this mark calls not only to your mind through pain but to your body."  
  
Hermione blanched, she clearly didn't understand, it was one of the few times that she wasn't able to comprehend something.  
  
" It means that he has laid claim to your body and will continue to call you until he gets what he wants. I believe I do not need to tell you what it is he wants, and in this time unlike your own, he is able to get what he wants."  
  
There was a dead silence. Then Hermione finally broke it. " Then Im as good as gone then?"  
  
Dumbledores twinkle returned. " Not entirely my dear, if the story is true and the future Severus Snape did in fact intervene into this time, Voldmort will have problems obtaining you, and you will have people here who can defend you until we can rectify this problem."  
  
Hermione gave him a soft smile. " Thank you." She got up to leave. Then Dumbledore called to her.  
  
"Hermione one more thing."  
  
She turned.  
  
" I believe that you should enjoy your time here, it is something that very few can ever experience. Although the year has just started and you were already half through back in your own time, you will still need top marks to graduate." He gave her a merry smile.  
  
This was only the beginning of the year? This was a startling shock to her, she had her suspicions due to the weather but it truly was.  
  
"Thank you sir, I won't disappoint you"  
  
He gave her a very proud smile. " I know you won't Hermione"  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione didn't know whether to be scared or relieved after her conversation with Dumbledore. She couldn't let it bother her though, she had to pick up the pace and get to work. The curriculum in this new time was no doubt different from the one that she had almost finished back in her own.  
  
Over the years, Hermione had not lost her love of knowledge, as she grew in age her lust from it had intensified, but with age came another type of wisdom, balance. In the sixth year, Hermione had found that balance. She was able to make new friends and still keep her rather illustrious study habits.  
  
Now she felt that she would rather be back to old habits rather then her new more out going ones.  
  
She walked back down to the Slytherin common room and was intending to speak with Professor Lacouse about her curriculum. She reached the portrait to the entrance of the Slytherin house when it opened before her.  
  
" God I wish these things would stop doing that!" she mumbled.  
  
" Doing what may I ask?" Out from the portrait came Severus Snape flanked by Lucius Malfoy.  
  
" I believe this is where I say none of your business." She moved to push past them, but they wouldn't budge from the doorway.  
  
" I think its time we had a little talk new girl." Lucius sneered.  
  
She looked at Snape. Had he told? Did Lucius know she was a mungle born, god this was not good? She was beginning to panic. Her face paled. Her eyes looked to Snape's, but he was just looking at her steadily with those dark orbs.  
  
They walked out of the portrait whole and it closed behind them, leaving her alone to the mercy of the two.  
  
She quickly reached into her robes, grabbing for her wand as she backed up against the wall trying to keep as much distance as she could against the two. What the hell did they want? She pulled her wand free from her robes. Boys just looked at her, Lucius looked very strangely at her, it amazed her how he could look cocky and scared at the same time. Snape looked impassive.  
  
" What the hell are you doing?" Lucius asked indicating to the wand.  
  
" What the hell are you doing?" she snarled at the boys like a cornered animal.  
  
"We only wanted to talk." Lucius replied pulling his wand out.  
  
" Oh and that's why you decided to pull your wand out on me!" She snapped.  
  
" It's a precaution, you pulled yours so I will pull mine!" He growled.  
  
Hermione looked at the two. She did not enjoy the position she was in but had little choice. " Well what do you two want!"  
  
Snape moved infront of Lucius, standing directly in the line of fire of the two. " We only wanted to speak with you."  
  
Hermione was stunned. What was going on? " Why" she asked waiting for the knife to drop.  
  
"Your new here that's why, besides, Lacouse would have our heads" mumbled Lucius.  
  
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Professor Lacouse had asked them to talk to her.  
  
" Well what do you want then?"  
  
Severus looked to Lucius and Lucius to Severus. The shrugged. "Just wanted to know if you were all right, you ran out of the common room last time we saw you like a bat out of hell" chimed Lucius, now trying to act charming. Hermione sneered at him. Severus looked like he was going to laugh.  
  
" Im fine thank you. I just had to see dumbledore that's all." She replied shortly.  
  
" Oh ok then, we were just wondering because you never seem to talk to any of our house mates and you don't seem to have any friends.."  
  
Hermione cut Lucius off. " I have friends or a friend"  
  
Lucius laughed. " The RavenClaw you hang around with sometimes? Narccissa? Don't make me laugh! Ravenclaw's aren't friends there drones, they do what ever people tell them!"  
  
Hermione glared at him, what an ass whole. Though his description was very true, Narccissa had very little that was her own, but she was her friend and that was that. Lucius was now playing a game with her, one that she intended to win.  
  
She laughed at him. " Are you offering the position?" Her words were laced with sarcastic intent, she new he was going to say no, just like Severus would. She cast the dark haired boy a look and he just raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
Lucius was about to something but the ever-silent Snape piped up. " I believe that if you required companion ship we would "both" (he cast a look at Lucius) be able to suffice in that department."  
  
Hermione was stunned this was not how it was supposed to happen, what kind of game was Snape playing at. Ha she could beat him at his own game, she would accept the proposal and through both the jerks off, they would gladly and very quickly take back the offer.  
  
She stood up to her full height. " Very well I accept!"  
  
Both boys nodded, much to her horror, Lucius smiled at her. It was almost a real smile.  
  
" Good to hear, I would hate to be on you..umm .bad side any longer. " Lucius indicated to his eye that had turned a lovely shade of purple.  
  
Snape glared down at her, she had no doubt in her mind that he knew that she had tried to outsmart the both of them and was now stuck. She glared back at him. She thought she faintly heard him mutter under his breath.  
  
" I'll figure you out yet" 


	9. mashed potato's

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?!" Hermione snapped at herself. For the last hour since she had left Snape and Malfoy in the common room Hermione had been berating herself on how stupid she had been. "You don't try to out smart a Slytherin!"  
  
It had truly surprised her to say the least when Lucius and Snape had approached her down at the entrance. It had annoyed her that they wouldn't let her pass, but it truly terrified her that her soon to be professor and a soon to be if not all ready death eater, wanted to befriend her! I was some kind of a joke!  
  
" I DON'T WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH ANYONE!" she screamed in her room to no one. " Especially not those two!"  
  
Hermione threw a pillow across the room along with several other less soft items. After a minute or two Hermione was satisfied with her temper tantrum and decided it was time to head down for dinner. Even though she had loosed her anger she didn't want to have to be anywhere near Snape and Lucius, she hadn't seen them since earlier.  
  
Doing a quick cleaning spell on herself and her semi-decimated room she declared her self ready to have dinner, her first since all this week she had eaten in the library.  
  
"Here goes nothing."  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione pushed open the doors that led into the great hall. The hall that she had always loved now seemed like a nightmare to her. There were no familiar faces, no loving friends. There were only strangers.  
  
She saw Narccissa at the RavenClaw table, she waved to her. Narccissa looked surprised but waved back after a moment of contemplation. Hermione smiled and continued to scan the crowd for anything else that was familiar. She finally found at the Gryffindor table, Sirius Black beside him was a sandy brown haired boy who looked rather pale. He turned and looked at her and she almost fell on her face.  
  
Remus Lupin!  
  
She almost cried at the sight of him, he had been gone since her sixth year when Voldmorts uprising had taken a turn for the worst. He had been one of the firsts to fall to that bastard's power.  
  
He continued to look at her, she smiled at him and he scowled at her. She seemed to have that affect on a lot of people, but then again she was a Slytherin now.  
  
She stole a quick peek at the others surrounding Remus and Sirius. She recognized Lily almost immediately, she cast Hermione a worried look and then mouthed " are you ok" to her, probably indicating to the fact that she had passed out in potions class. Hermione nodded and gave her a small smile.  
  
What she saw next made her jaw drop. It was Harry, how.....oh my god. Its James! James Potter, god he really did look like Harry! Sure enough seated to the left of Lily was a tall dark haired boy with glasses the only difference between James and Harry was the fact that Harry had green eyes, James had a dark blue color to his.  
  
Suddenly two pairs of arms looped around hers, she yelped in surprise and looked around franticly. To rather large people had grabbed hold of her arms and were dragging her to the Slytherin table. She got a quick look at the two but was unable to determine who they were; their cloak hoods were up. They were however most definitely Slytherin.  
  
She found her self pushed down onto one of the benches and the two students who had "manhandled" her sat down on either side of her.  
  
"What the hell?" she roared at the two.  
  
As if on cue they both pulled back the hoods of their cloaks.  
  
"Figures!" Hermione snapped.  
  
Lucius who was one her left gave her a goofy smile. Hermione wanted to scream out at him, what was he doing. He was supposed to be this evil person that she had met in the future, the one who hated "mudbloods". Well he didn't know she was one but that was beside the point!  
  
"What do you want Lucius?" Hermione snapped at him.  
  
Lucius scowled at her. " We were only trying to help you were standing there in the middle of the hall like a little lost lamb!" sarcasm dripped off every word.  
  
Hermione just stared at him for a moment. Honestly she was lost for word. Why were they even bothering? Honestly?  
  
Hermione decided to just ignore the two beings beside her, and busy herself with the task of eating. Lucius and Snape both had different ideas and certainly did not like being ignored. They each gave each other a searching look, nodded and looked at Hermione.  
  
Hermione didn't see nor hear a thing until a rather large glob of mashed potatoes was squashed into her hair. Hermione froze.She looked at Lucius who was holding a spoon still covered in the decimated potato goo. He wore the same cheeky expression as he did only moments ago.She opened her mouth to say something when she felt a liquid run down her back.gasping in horror she turned to the other boy beside her, Snape was holding a large silver Gravy boat in his hand but had an expressionless look on his face. She could plainly see that he was fighting a smile.  
  
" Well you looked like you hadn't been eating right." Whispered Snape.  
  
Hermione looked at him in horror and in rage, before she could stop herself she grabbed a handful of creamed corn and shoved it in his face (with extra added force of course). Snape was aghast, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she saw little bits of corn hanging from his hawk like nose.  
  
Never in her life had she ever believed that she would have the gall to shove creamed corn in Severus Snapes face. Yellow really wasn't his colour. She let out a snort of amusement.  
  
" You little bitch!" He snapped and grabbed his pumpkin juice and flung it at her face. Hermione ducked just in time and the full impact of the thick pulpy liquid hit Lucius in the side of the head. The whole Slytherin table laughed, drawing the attention of the other houses to the sight of the three Slytherin's bombarding each other with various throwable foods. The houses didn't know weather to laugh or to be horrified. Things such as food fights were un heard of in Hogwarts.  
  
Lucius grabbed a handful of a large steak and kidney pie and flung it hard and fast at Hermione who gracefully ducked the flying mash of brown and black.  
  
There was a gasp and a frightening silence that filled the hall. Hermione looked a Lucius who had all of a sudden gone a sheet white. She turned to Snape who was paler then usual; he made a quick eye movement signaling behind her.  
  
Hermione turned and found herself looking into the coldest pair of eyes she had ever seen fright took over her as she saw flickers of anger burning inside those eyes. She moved her eyes down to see that Professor Lacouse had receive the full impact of the Steak and Kidney pie, there were little bits of meat and gravy strewn across her face and pie crust littered around her robes.  
  
"You three my office NOW!" Lacouse roared. Hermione thought that she had been scared with professor Snape but he now seemed like a mear kitten to this raging ball of dragon fury before her.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione had never been so embarrassed in her life, not only was she covered in Potato's and a rather weird assortment of other dishes but she was, as people would say. " In deep shit" with her head of house.  
  
She was still shocked at one thing, for a brief moment back in the hall she had forgoten her sorrows and worries. Things seemed safe. Almost comforting.  
  
Now she was sure she was going to be dead again.  
  
The sad little trio followed a rather fuming Professor Lacouse down into the dungeons were her personal office resided. Hermione couldn't help think how familiar this all seemed, she was reminded of Harry and Ron. The Hogwarts trio, always in trouble together. Now Harry and Ron were replaced by the two most hated Slytherin boys to come along since Tom riddle him self.  
  
How do you get your self into these things Hermione! She yelled at herself. Was it a strange needs that needed to be fulfilled did she have to be surrounded by troublemakers? Were these her pour excuse to replace her now dead friends or soon to be dead friends? Hermione's mind screamed at her for thinking such thoughts. " HOW COULD YOU BETRAY HARRY AND RON!" her mind yelled at her.  
  
Hermione felt a tear making its way down her face, damn, stop it Hermione you can't do this to your self. No tears! Just walls! Walls no one can hurt you through walls!  
  
"Granger are you ok?" came the soft yet always cold voice of Snape. She turned to look at him, still following Professor Lacouse. She wished Harry and Ron could have seen the picture before her. Snape was covered in corn and potato's, and was still scowling underneath it all. She wanted to laugh but it just wasn't in her.  
  
"Why do you care!" she snapped in a low whisper so that Lacouse wouldn't hear her.  
  
" I don't!" He snapped back with a large bite.  
  
" Then why did you ask?" she snarled at him.  
  
" I "asked" because you're crying!" he spat at her.  
  
She realized that the blasted tear had made its way down her face, she quickly brushed it away. " It's not thing I just got some of that bloody Gravy in my eye, thank you very much!"  
  
He just glared at her.  
  
" IN!" Snapped Lacouse brining them back from there own little world of bickering. Lacouse was pointing to a large opening in the wall that no doubt led to her office.  
  
The sorry trio walked sullenly their heads down into her office. She cast each one of them a very evil looking glare.  
  
Once they were all inside lined up before Professor Lacouse like soldiers ready for a flogging did she finally speak.  
  
" I have never been so furious in my entire life!" she snarled at the students. Hermione shuddered; this was seemed very familiar. " You will each receive a week of detention.Never in my life would I believe Slytherin house members of the Seventh year to engage in something as childish as what you three have just done! 15 points each from Slytherin!"  
  
The three of them gulped.  
  
" Now get out of my sight!" She roared.  
  
With a scramble of robes there were gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione decided that it would be best not to speak to either of her Slytherin " accomplices" for the rest of the night. Hell it would be better if she never had to speak with either of them again.  
  
Once they had reached the common room, Hermione ran passed them, Gravy and Potato's flying out of her hair as she ran up the stairs to her room. She heard some of the girls in her dorm laugh at her appearance. Thankfully her room was sound proof so that she couldn't hear peoples comments and could enjoy the silence of her chambers. She spent an hour soaking in her tub, enjoy the solitude.  
  
The last thing she said before going to sleep. " Oh I can think of a million and one hexes that I think I would like to try out tomorrow, and I can think of two snakes who would make perfect ginny pigs!" 


	10. when walls come down

~~~~~*****~~~~~  
  
" She is here" a cold voice colder then ice and space, snarled. " I can feel her, where is she?"  
  
There tussle of robes and a dark cloaked figure emerged from the circle of clocked men and women, encircled around one being. He had a large pale mask like all the others but unlike the rest walked with confidence and coy. " My lord I believe that she is at Hogwarts.."  
  
There was a roar of rage that was issued from the being in the middle. " You believe or you know! Maggot!"  
  
The confidence that the figure had once held disappeared. " Im sorry my lord, I do not know!"  
  
There was a mummer and a flash of white light, the brave cloaked figure fell to the ground and withered in pain, the being in the middle was holding a large wand in his hand and pointing it at the figure which lay on the ground. The figure screamed and reeled in agony.  
  
"Master! Master!" It pleaded. "I will make sure that she is the one you search for!"  
  
A cold laugh issued from the hooded being in the center of the circle. " Do not worry maggot, I know it is her! You have but one job to perform!"  
  
"Anything Lord Voldmort! Anything!" the mass of withering pain screamed.  
  
"Bring her to me!"  
  
~~~~~*****~~~~~  
  
The sun was at its zenith on Saturday afternoon; three robe-clad figures were working in the large corrals out side of the Care of magical creatures department of Hogwarts. The heat was unbearable.  
  
" I don't believe it" growled Lucius Malfoy. He was up to his neck in Griffin poop, and there was sweat dripping down the front of his robes. "She sent us to clean out the bloody paddocks, me a Malfoy!"  
  
Snape and Hermione both just looked at the complaining boy, there robes were soaked with sweet and drizzled with animal waste, they sneered and went back to cleaning out the twenty six paddocks that housed the Hogwarts animal population.  
  
" Just be thankful Malfoy that Professor Lacouse didn't send us to clean out the dragon pens!" Hermione growled at him. She still had not forgiven him for landing her with the first detention she had received since her first year at Hogwarts.  
  
" I just don't see why I have to do this?" he mumbled, picking up a large pile of animal matter with a pitchfork and hurling it into a large wicker cart.  
  
"Just shut up Lucius!" mumbled Hermione, who was almost finished her first paddock.  
  
Lucius just glared at her, and continued to ramble on about things that weren't going his way. " I just don't believe this we have to do this!"  
  
" Do shut that hole in your face" grumbled Severus Snape who was half way through his second pile.  
  
" And with out magic!" Finished Lucius.  
  
"Lucius! Shut Up!" roared Hermione and Severus at the same time. Lucius just mumbled and went back to work. Hermione and Snape treated one anther to a smile of triumph and returned to work.  
  
An hour had passed and they hadn't even finished a third of there designated paddocks when the dark form of Professor Magonigal crossed the bright Hogwarts grounds, there were four other people trailing behind her desperately trying to keep up with Minerva's long strides. The woman stopped she looked to have just finished tell some one off, her face was bright red and she was seething slightly.  
  
She motioned the four students to her, the looked to be the reason she was so flushed. " You four" she snapped at them. " Will assist these others with there duties on the paddocks."  
  
There was a groan of resistance from the students. Hermione got a good look at one of them and tried not to laugh when she saw who it was.  
  
"Sirius black and friends" mumbled Severus under his breath.  
  
The three of the four boys looked familiar, Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, the fourth by her guess had to be Peter Pettigrue.  
  
" Professor Magonigal their Slytherin's, were Gryffindor's!" moaned Sirius  
  
Professor Magonigal just looked at Black with certain disdain, Hermione would have never believed that Minerva had housed resentment for the boy. I was apparent that she did.  
  
" Your point being what Mr. Black?" She snarled at him.  
  
"Nothing Professor." Mumbled Black who obviously did not have the backbone to complain to her when she was like this.  
  
" Good now get to work!" with that she turned on her heels and headed back to the school.  
  
The four boys just stood regarding the three Slytherin's before them, for once the fact that she wasn't a Gryffindor didn't seem to bother her. She looked from James to Remus, to peter and then to Black. She scawled at seeing him. He caught her eyes and returned her squawl with his own.  
  
"Ah so the little Slytherin scum has returned." He snapped walking up to her; they were now face to face. Hermione drew herself up and starred defiantly into his eyes.  
  
" Always a pleasure Black." She glared up at him, turned around and went back to work. She stopped and counted the paddocks that were left to be cleaned. " We each get four paddocks, that makes it easier and we'll get it done quicker."  
  
" Your welcome to it Slytherin scum but I'm not doing anything you tell me to" Sneered Black, once again taking a step forward in a very dangerous motion.  
  
"Black leave it alone." Mumbled James, who clearly didn't want to get into any more trouble then they all readies were in.  
  
Hermione was getting worried, she could banter and use intellectual comments galore on Black but she was getting the impression that he would resort to physical violence. How could Harry's godfather be such a prick? Hermione was about to take a step backwards from the advancing menace when she felt a hand on her left shoulder, she looked over to see Severus standing next to her, giving Sirius a look that said " back off or you'll loose the ability to reproduce."  
  
Black noticed this. " Not good odds Snape, I have three at my back you have a blonde pretty boy and a girl." He sneered at Hermione.  
  
God, why can't I just grab my wand and hex this ass into oblivion? She mumbled to herself  
  
The three other boys came up behind Sirius and each gave there own little sneer. It truly amazed Hermione how Slytherin like these Gryffindor boys could be, also she couldn't believe that she was about to start a fight with her best friends father, godfather, werewolf and well a boy who could turn into a rat.  
  
She froze.damn it this was Peter Pettigrue! That little worm, he was going to cause hell for every thing she ever loved.  
  
" I think the odds are just fine the way there are" came Lucius flanking Hermione to her right. This was going to be ugly. She saw Lucius reach for his wand. Snape wasn't to fare behind. God they were defending her and she wasn't even there friend!  
  
" You six do realize that were in DETENTION!" She screamed out, every one froze. " Get over this stupid little Slytherin Vs Gryffindor rivalry right now and get to work, I don't know about you boys but I sure the hell don't want to be scooping Griffin shit for the rest of this day!"  
  
The boys all looked in aww. Snape and Malfoy backed off immediately; Sirius just mumbled something about " we'll finish this later". James and Remus on the other hand looked impressed, they gave her a soft smile which she returned and went to work, Peter looked like he was about ready to mess himself if she said another word. All six of them turned to work, Hermione found herself toiling next to Lupin.  
  
" So what are you four in for?" Hermione inquired to Remus.  
  
" We um.. Oh what the hell, we set off a few cherry bombs in moaning Mirtles bath room, blew the toilets straight off." He was laughing at the end of it, so was Hermione. " Now Myrtle has to live in Magonigal's toilets until hers can be repaired." Hermione snorted and stifled a giggle.  
  
Remus smiled at her " by the way my names Remus Lupin."  
  
" I'm Hermione Granger." She took his hand and shook it; it felt odd to see him again.  
  
" Nice to meet you, that was a good move you did a while ago, good job keeping them inline."  
  
"Thanks Remus."  
  
It took Hermione and the others an hour of straight work to finish, thankfully no male mocho attitudes got in the way and it had gone very smoothly. She was sticky and dirty and rather exhausted so she didn't wait around for the other two Slytherin's. Not that she would anyway, she told herself. She wanted nothing more then a hot bath and to relax. She left with out saying a word but gave a nod to Remus.  
  
~~~~~*****~~~~~  
  
"Hermione!" came a voice from behind her, as she was half way up to the castle and in desperate need of a shower. She turned around and saw that Severus was running towards her. " Oh bugger what do you want?" she called.  
  
He caught up to her. " Professor Lacouse just came by and gave us our detention schedule for tomorrow. Were cleaning bed pans in the infirmary." He tone held no emotion but his eyes let out that he found this very funny.  
  
" You enjoy cleaning bed pans?" she inquired.  
  
" No I just can't wait to see the look on Lucius's face when he find out that we have to do it with out magic." His thin red lips almost twisted into a smile. Hers however bloomed into a full-blown grin when she thought of the look on Lucius's face when he found out that interesting news.  
  
" I wish I had a camera for that!" she giggles.  
  
" Well if you did Im sure you could make quite a few galleons for a picture of that." Now finally he smiled, and it sent shivers down her spine.  
  
Hermione! Her mind screamed at her. Stop it, do you know what you're doing? Quit your laughing, do you relies your joking around with Severus Snape. " OH SOD OF!" she snapped at herself, clearly not caring, she was having to good of a day.  
  
" So where are you off to now?" Snape inquired.  
  
Hermione gave him a look, and pointed to her clothing. " I have Griffin turds all over me I reek and well Im rather sweaty so Im thinking Tub now!"  
  
He laughed and she shivered. Hermione Stop that she chastised herself.  
  
" See you at dinner then!"  
  
She gave him a look. " As long as there's no mashed potato's and gravy involved, ok"  
  
"Don't worry I wouldn't dare." He said matter of factly; his eyes glowed with play and humor.  
  
She gave him a mock snarl. " Good!"  
  
~~~~~*****~~~~~  
  
When Hermione came down from her room, fresh and clean the sun was just setting over the Hogwarts horizon. She wore her clean Slytherin robes but left them open exposing her mungle clothing which consisted of a white tight T-shirt with a scoop neck and flared jeans. All of which she had transfigured due to lack of well everything.  
  
When she came down into the Slytherin common room she saw a group of Slytherin boys talking by a roaring fire (how they could have a fire when it was almost plus 30 outside was beyond her) they were all talking in hushed tones. She noticed that both Snape and Malfoy were in the group, she also noted that they were clean and no longer flushed with well animal matter.  
  
Snape turned and caught her eye, she immediately knew something was wrong, his eyes were no long the playful bright black that she had seen when she was joking around with him but they were now tunnels of black emptiness. He blanched when he saw her look at him. Yes something was definitely wrong. She remembered that that was the same look that Ron always wore when things were either not right or dangerous.  
  
Some where in the back of her mind she knew what was wrong but she couldn't place it. Suddenly she gave out a yelp; the pain in her arm was back with a vengeance. She gripped it and winced. She quickly moved to get out of the common room but she wasn't fast enough, just as she was leaving she saw Snape's face, it was donned with a look of horror.  
  
"Oh God." she whispered and disappeared out the portrait.  
  
She ran to Dumbledores office but before she was halfway there a pair of large hands slammed her into the wall. She lost her wind and just about passed out from the force.  
  
"What the." she screamed, but stopped when she saw that Snape was standing over her seething with rage. She had never seen him look this angry in her whole time of knowing him. He looked like the devil himself.  
  
" Would you mind explaining what you are doing Granger?" he snarled, sounding very much like a wolf that had just caught a deer.  
  
Hermione was stunned. " Look just leave me along I have to see professor dumbledore." She made to move Snapes hands grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back into the hard stone wall.  
  
" What the hell are you doing!" she screamed.  
  
" I could ask you the same thing but why ask questions that you all ready know the answers." He mumbled with a soft velvet tone that held more bite then a snake.  
  
" And what is it that you "Think" Im doing!" she snapped.  
  
" I know your going to report us, I would have expected better from you Granger."  
  
Realization dawned on her, oh my god ...no that wasn't.. what she saw in the Slytherin hall was... Oh my god.....The beginning.that's how it all started.could this have been there first meeting? No..Could it?  
  
She gave him a grave look, all her ghosts and pains surface in her face; it became white as chalk tears of rage and grief well up in her eyes. She knew the fate that would await Severus Snape.  
  
She starred straight into his deep obsidian eyes.  
  
" You'll kill us all." She whispered. 


	11. the begining of the storm

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
As the sun outside was setting its warmth and grace floating over the horizon, an ice cold blanket of rage washed over Hermione Granger as she starred into the black obsidian eyes of Severus Snape.  
  
Her thoughts were rapid as he held her pinned to the wall, as her rage and anger mounted the pain in her shoulders from where he held her to the wall lessened. She gazed into his eyes coolly; did he already bare the mark, and the mark of that vile bastard who had taken all she had ever known? She had to know. With out her knowing she unconsciously had lifted her right hand to cover the burning patch of skin on her left.  
  
Snape saw her movements; a look of confusion mixed with the impact of her last words sprawled across his face.  
  
" What did you mean?" he spoke in a dangerous tone. " That I will kill us all?"  
  
Hermione just starred a slight spasm crossed her face. " I meant just that, you will kill us all. You don't know it yet but your about to make the biggest mistake of your life!" she snapped, and gave a mighty heave, pushing him back away from her and walked calmly towards Dumbledores office, the pain in her arm was screaming. She gripped it tightly trying to make it dissolve with pressure. She was five strides away from Snape when she was thrown into the hard stone wall again. She winced in pain and saw the dark for of Snape looming over her.  
  
" Where do you think your going?" He spat at her.  
  
" God are you that stupid I thought we already cleared this up!" she roared.  
  
He looked like he was going to hit her, but then relaxed. "You know Mudblood you're on dangerous ground, one word from me and you won't be able to show your face in our house again!"  
  
She exploded. " God Snape! What the hell is your problem, I wasn't going to tell Dumbledore about what you idiots are about to do" she saw a look of amazement cross his face. " Yah Snape that's right I know all about you little gathering, and frankly I don't give a damn if you ruin your life!"  
  
" You know nothing! Its not going to ruin my life or the rest, it will improve it!" he sulked.  
  
" You know Snape I used to think you were an intelligent human being who had everything going for him in life, who would never use the fact that Im muggleborn just to protect his own ass!" she stopped to catch her breath. " I don't care any way, that's how it's supposed to go! Nothing will change it, I just hope you'll be happy knowing that you'll be responsible for thousands!"  
  
Snape now looked generally confused. " What the hell are you talking about, how can playing a trick on Gryffindor house make me responsible for thousands!"  
  
Hermione stopped. What! Oh bugger! It wasn't the first death eater meeting! Oh bugger how could I have been so stupid! Hermione you're an idiot she screamed at herself.  
  
"Oh" was all she managed to say. " Sorry um I was um talking about something else, I had no idea that's what you were talking about."  
  
Snape looked at her like she was crazy, and she certainly felt it. " I'll ask again, what the hell are you talking about?"  
  
" Nothing it doesn't concern you at this time." She whispered. " Look Im not going to tell dumbledore on you or the other Slytherin's, I really do have to see him though."  
  
He bought the change of topic but still was very wary of her. " Ok but if I find that you did!" his voice was low and warning.  
  
She just nodded and after he released her, she continued her journey down to Dumbledores office.  
  
~~~~~*****~~~~~  
  
"Did she tell?" Lucius inquired.  
  
" No, and she wont either, I let it slip that we were doing something else." Mumbled Snape, something about what she had said was bothering him. Her words kept circulating in his head. " You'll kill us all."  
  
" You ok?" Lucius inquired seeing that Snape seemed troubled by something.  
  
"Yes Im fine"  
  
" Good, while you were gone we got a message from one of the inner circle."  
  
Severus immediately came to attention. " What did it say?"  
  
" We get the marks on new years eve."  
  
~~~~~*****~~~~~  
  
Dinner that night was completely uneventful compared to the day before. Hermione found that she had put more food into her mouth then there was tangled into her hair the day before. She had gone as planed to Dumbledores office and he performed the numbing spell on her arm once again. He however did seem worried about something, but wouldn't speak a word of what it was  
  
Snape and Malfoy both arrived twenty minutes into dinner, along with a few other Slytherin boys that she didn't know. Malfoy gave her his usual smart assed cocky smile as he sat down, Snape however just gave her a confused look, much like he had when she had almost let vital information slip.  
  
The whole hall came to attention when Headmaster Dumbledore tapped on his large glass of pumpkin juice in a twanging motion. He stood, towering over all in the hall. Hermione couldn't help but notice that the sky had turned a deep purple indicating a coming storm.  
  
"Students as of tomorrow quidditch try outs will be commencing." There was a cheer that was issued from the masses of students, Hermione on the other hand groaned, Snape who had heard her chuckled to himself.  
  
" Also I would like to inform all of those students interested in our annual dueling championship please seen Professor Lacouse of Slytherin for details."  
  
Hermione's head shot up at hearing this, a dueling club, memories of her only dueling club meeting flooded into her head. She vaguely remembered being shoved under Millicent Blustrode's armpit, and the pain that she had induced for a week after her neck had been put out of line. She chuckled.  
  
"Thinking about entering?" Snape mumbled to her.  
  
" I might, never thought of my self as the dueling type but who knows." She retorted. " Why are you entering?"  
  
" If the whim strikes me I might." He said in a very smooth but rather cocky tone.  
  
Ha I doubt you'll have time, you soon to be death eater, she snapped at him in her own mind. She gave him a cool glance and then listened as Dumbledore went on about other things that held no importance to her.  
  
Having eaten her fill she decided that it was time for her to leave before she was forced into conversation with her new house mates, she nodded a quick goodbye to Snape and Malfoy, leaving them in the great hall.  
  
She walked out into the long winding corridors, they were silent and empty, not a sound except for the wind that had begun to pick up out side. She had been right about her judgment of the storm; it was going to be a monster. She walked along, alone listening to the slight taping of her shoes on the cold stone floor, a crash of thunder echoed through the corridor. She increased her pace running to the large door that served as an entrance to Hogwarts, she threw open the doors and gazed out side. Thunder boomed again this time accompanied by brilliant white and gold lightning burning into a massive purple sky. It was like magic, the magic of nature.  
  
Over the years one of the few thing Hermione enjoyed was storms, she found that the power and brilliance of them, the one thing that muggle or wizard could never control. She found a certain peace in the winding winds, the triumphant booms and the lacerating light that clashed together to create a certain perfection.  
  
She walked out of the entrance and out onto the grounds, knowing perfectly well that she could be in danger from the storm. It was a risk she was willing to take, this was something that gave her freedom. She let out a wild scream as the sky thundered again, still not ready to surrender its life giving rain, jumping down the stone steps she raced into the flied of twirling grasses and screamed her soul to the heavens.  
  
She cast a quick glance around to make sure that no one had saw her wild abandon, and with a whoosh she flopped her body down onto the welcoming grasses and watched as the heavens battled.  
  
As Hermione watched she was unaware that in the large dark forest to the north of were she lay down, there were a pair of beady vermin like eyes watching her, slowly the creature clad in black moved towards her. It moved with a quick stop and start pace, very much like a sewer rat. 


	12. As it rages

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Severus Snape looked up at the ceiling of the great hall inside of Hogwarts, watching the cloud circle and swirl from a royal purple to a menacing black, long bands of lightning streaked across the sky. There were now traces of droplets of water falling from it. However Severus wasn't think about the sky or for the matter looking at it. His mind was on another thing, much closer to earth.  
  
Hermione Granger.  
  
She had only been at the school for a little over two weeks and already she seemed to know the school inside and out, like she had been here since her first year. She was a proud girl who wasn't shamed buy her Muggle heritage in fact she seemed to embrace it. (A smile crossed his face as he remembered how she had slapped Lucius for insulting Muggles.), and she was smart, not just plane smart like any normal student, but impassively intelligent. He had watched her in classes; her precision and skill put all the other students to shame (himself excluded of course.)  
  
One thing troubled him, it was how she jumped whenever she looked at him or Lucius it was like she was seeing a ghost. She would pale and wouldn't make any effort in conversation with either of them. (He chuckled to himself) When Lucius and him had declared that they were to be her friends she had truly though she had outsmarted them both. "Never try to out snake a Slytherin" he mumbled to himself. That was another thing that bothered him about her, she was more like a Gryffindor in Slytherin clothing then a real Slytherin.  
  
It didn't matter, he respected the girl, and she had guts and enough venom in her bite to satisfy any snake.  
  
There was a tap on his shoulder and a very loud shout in his ear. " Any one home!"  
  
Snape almost jumped out of his seat at the volume.  
  
" Damnit Lucius! I'm not deaf you realize!" He growled at the smiling blond boy beside him.  
  
Lucius laughed. " You were off on some strange planet my dear Severus, prey tell what were you thinking about?"  
  
Severus scowled at him. " I was thinking of nothing"  
  
Lucius cut him off. " Severus you looked as though you were falling into a dream and were about to smile, if that was nothing then I'm the ruddy Queen of England!"  
  
"Just let it go, it holds no importance."  
  
"Speaking of no importance were is Granger?"  
  
Severus stilled a growl. " How should I know she left without a word, very strange that one."  
  
"You said it, do you think we should go find her?"  
  
"Why?" Snapped Snape.  
  
"I don't know Im bored and need something to do unless you fancy having another food fight?"  
  
Severus sneered. "So quick to get another detention Lucius? At least wait until we finished the first one, need I remind you that we have to clean out the bed pans in the infirmary tomorrow.with out magic."  
  
Lucius blanched and sputtered, it took him a minute to compose himself to the thought of doing work with out magic. He huffed. " Lets just go find Hermione."  
  
"Were do you think she has gone?"  
  
" I don't know nor do I really care Lucius." Yawed Snape.  
  
"Look at least help me find her, all right?" inquired Lucius, innocently.  
  
"Lucius, one would think you liked the girl by the way you are acting towards her." He gave Lucius a glare.  
  
" Not me! (He gave a throughty laugh) Im supposed to be her " Friend" remember," He said sarcastically.  
  
" That is what still troubles me, why would "tom's" lackeys ask us to keep an eye out on that girl, there's nothing special about her other than her massive hair and un - apparent brains." Mumbled Snape.  
  
" I have no idea why were doing this but I think that the job would go unfinished if we don't find her." Chimed Lucius.  
  
"She's probably in the common room, her nose buried in a book, that's were it always seems to be." Snapped Snape.  
  
"Much like your self (he grabbed Snapes arm) come on let's go find our little charge!"  
  
With that Lucius dragged Snape out of the hall, neither of them noticing the look that the graying headmaster and the potions mistress gave to them.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione for once since her long ordeal was at peace watching the heavens and waiting for it to spill open, the soft long green grass of the grounds swirled and caressed her form as she lay on them. She sat herself up on her elbows to get a better view of the grounds that were now blanketed in black.  
  
That's when she saw it.  
  
Eye's, pale and glicening, buried in the forbidden forest, she blinked she could have sworn she saw a man there. A chill went up her spin, something wasn't right, what was going on? Panic surged through her as she saw something moving towards her, stopping and starting, scampering. She quickly jumped to her feet; almost tripping on her Slytherin robes. As quick as the lightning that surrounded her she reached inside her pocket in search of her wand.it wasn't there. The creature was moving towards her, that black for of a man or woman was getting closer.  
  
She turned and ran, fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins, she ran with such intensity that she felt as though her lounge were going to burst up through her mouth. She glanced back quickly and stopped, nothing was there. Were did it go?  
  
She spun around a few times searching for it, was it her imagination?  
  
She never even saw it coming. A black heavy creature threw its self at her, catching her in the stomach and causing her to topple to the ground.  
  
She was aloud one scream before it covered her mouth. In her panic she bit down hard on her aggressors hand. It was definitely human; the rich copper taste of blood filed her mouth. The human back handed her across the face, cutting into her cheek (must have been wearing a ring of some sort), its full weight was on her torso preventing her from moving. She tried to thrash and kick but the mass of dark robes held her to the ground fast.  
  
It pulled out a wand, and lightning cracked. Had she been able to scream she would have. She had seen its face, a pale white mask.A death eater.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
"Have you found her?" called Snape across the Slytherin common room.  
  
"No, there's no sign of her, she must be some were else." Came Lucius's reply.  
  
Both met in the middle of the room, trying to think were Hermione would have gone, both were ready to throutal her. Lightning and thunder crashed mercilessly outside.  
  
They both stopped when they heard a sharp and cut off scream.  
  
Snape was the first to react; the scream had come from outside. He ran, his long spidery legs caring him faster then anyone would have thought possible. He was only vaguely aware that Lucius was following him. He sprinted through the corridors to the main entrance, throwing open the doors he saw the source of the scream. A surge of panic gripped him for some UN aparent reason.  
  
It was raining like an open wound and the visibility was horrible but it was easy to see the source.  
  
Hermione!  
  
What was that on her!  
  
A sudden primal urge roared through his very being, how dare that monster touch her. He noticed that the creature had just pulled a wand on her and that the side of her face was bleeding.  
  
"Hermione!" He roared, running fast and hard towards the creature, it turned its head towards him.  
  
It happened in a second. Throwing his full winery frame into the monster, knocking it clear off of her. The creature seemed to only be able to hold its own against a woman because a pon seeing the primal fury in Snape's dark obsidian eyes it turned and fled even before Snape could retort against it. He stood up and was going to chase after it when he heard a moan from the ground.  
  
He dropped to his knees beside the battered girl, she was shaking with fear, and with a final shiver she fell unconscious. There was a loud boom of thunder. It rained like it had never rain before this day.  
  
"God Severus what happened?" came Lucius Malfoys worried voice, having finally caught up with his long legged friend.  
  
Snape didn't even look at him; he just pulled a strand of Hermione's unruly hair away from her face. His and her robes were now soaked, water was trickling down his beak like nose, and his raven black hair was now plastered to his face. He pulled off his Slytherin robe, leaving only a black shirt and jeans to cover him from the elements. He draped his robe over Hermione's unconscious form, and gathered the girl into his strong wiry arms. He gave a grunt of effort as he clutched the girl to his chest, carrying her back to the school.  
  
Lucius stayed close behind them never had he seen Snape look so vicious, his eyes had always been black but now they were darker then hell.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
As the two boys and unconcious girl walked up to the infermary in the high left tower of the school no words were spoken.  
  
Snape him self was seething, something inside of him had cracked when he saw that man or boy on Hermione. Something unbelievable tugged at him and ripped through his calm resolve.  
  
It was Primal.  
  
It was Vicious.  
  
It was something that Severus Snape never believed himself capable of. In his mid the look of her face ashen coloured from fear, constantly replayed.  
  
Snape force back the feelings and emotions. Forced back something he had never felt with any one.  
  
He actualy cared.  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione Granger awoke two days later, in the late afternoon after her attack in the west wing of the infirmary. It took her a moment to realize were she was and even longer to recall what had happened that night.  
  
A death eater.  
  
Which meant one thing. . Voldmort knew she was here!  
  
Hermione shivered and looked around at her surroundings, she was in the infirmary, and the smell of medicine met her nose. She was in a closed curtain area; she turned to see on the table beside her was an assortment of .Get well items?  
  
There was one in particular that caught her eye amidst the mass of candies and cards. A single black rose with petals trimmed with red. She picked it up her hand shaking slightly as she did so. There was a note attached to it. She pulled it off the delicate rose and read it to herself.  
  
You have a 2-page potion essay due on Friday  
  
S. S  
  
Hermione smiled. Not a get well cared but something more. How did he know that the first thing she would want to know was how much school she had missed?  
  
Just then Madam Pomfry (apparently just started working here) came through the curtains.  
  
" Oh! Miss Granger your awake!" she beamed down at Hermione. " How are we feeling today?"  
  
"Rather well Madam Pomfry thank you. how did I get here?" Finally realizing that she wasn't in Voldmorts clutches.  
  
Madam Pomfry smiled a bright smile. " Why that dear boy Severus Snape carried you up here after him and the Malfoy boy found you."  
  
"Found me?" Hermione knew there was more to the story then what Pomfry had told her. " Um Madam Pomfry Im feeling better could I go now, I have a lot of work to catch up on.how long have I been here?"  
  
" Yes you may my dear, the two boys filled dumbledore in on what happens so Im sure you wont need to go see him and you've been here asleep for two days."  
  
Hermione blanched. Oh the homework she must have. At that she threw of the covers of her white lined bed and ran out of the infirmary faster then you could say Quidditch.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione walked through the opening of the common room she found her self in a strange position. Almost all of the Slytherin seventh years were around her in a second asking her if she was all right, what had happened, and did they know who had done it.  
  
Hermione brushed off their concerns with quick answers and found herself looking for the two boys who she had suspected saved her life.  
  
The two of them were in the back corner of the common room, leaning against the wall, both watching her. She shivered as she felt Snapes eyes glance at her up and down. It was then that she noticed how amazing he really was. Tall, taller then most of the Slytherin boys, leath framed, but with a powerful chest (how she knew that she did not know) and rather muscular arms. His face was slightly covered by his feathery hair that wasn't greasy but just such a sooty color that it appeared so.  
  
He was in fact to Hermione rather attractive.  
  
She now stood infront of the two boys her attention mainly on Severus, what was wrong with her. Damn it Hermione! She yelled at herself.  
  
Trying to ignore her raging sub conscious she stuck up a conversation with them.  
  
" I heard what you to did, thank you," she said simply.  
  
Lucius nodded his head, and Severus just grunted.  
  
"Your welcome Hermione." Lucius smiled at her.  
  
Snape just scowled at her. Hermione returned it with full grace.  
  
"Thank you as well Snape. Next time don't bother if you find saving my life to your great distaste." She motioned to his scowl.  
  
They scowled again at one another; Lucius blanched hoping that wands would not be involved.  
  
What happened next surprised them both.  
  
They laughed.  
  
Hermione and Severus laughed whole hartedly at with one another; both of their laughs filled the room like an echoing harmony. Both of there gazes never leaving each other, each feeling rather uncomfortable, but oddly at peace.  
  
Much like what they were starting to feel in there harts. 


	13. Halloween

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
What happened in the next few weeks after her attack was like a dream to Hermione. She finally started to enjoy the fact that she was safe (relatively) and finally she let most of her guard down.  
  
One of the biggest differences was how people treated her once she relaxed a bit. Slytherin's as it would seem could be very warm human beings, if you weren't a Gryffindor. Another thing was that Hermione was beginning to forget that she was a hart a Gryffindor. In her opinion she was the best of both worlds, the roaring lion and the sly snake.  
  
However the one thing that was making the largest changes in Hermione's life was the fact that she now had friends. Severus and Lucius were very seldomly apart from her, and when they were she was with Narccissa and much to her surprise Remus Lupin, he apparently didn't care that she was a Slytherin.  
  
Today was a Monday the 28th of October, less then three days away from Halloween, a time she had almost always enjoyed at Hogwarts. If you excluded her first year, and the encounter with the troll.  
  
Hermione was sitting at her desk finishing up some of her work in Defense against the dark arts class that Professor Megrim had given the class on the magical properties of Harvis bain, a wolfsbane hybrid, when something dropped on her desk.  
  
It was a small folded piece of parchment, with a green Slytherin Snake engraved on it. She quickly picked it up and opened it without her professor noticing it.  
  
Hermione Granger.  
  
On Halloween night at 11 o'clock the noble house of Slytherin will be holding its annual truth or dare festival. Slytherin's only, and only those attendances's requested from the house.  
  
Sincerely.  
  
The Snakes.  
  
Hermione smiled, this was too much fun. She intended to go, and was not put off by the signature, "The Snakes" was what a group of Slytherin boys called them selves. Snape and Malfoy were in it, and had explained to her what it was all about. Just a bunch of boys playing ticks and hosting parties. That was at least what they had told her.  
  
"Are you going to go" came Snapes voice from beside her.  
  
"Of course it sounds like fun"  
  
She heard Snape chuckle. " It is fun but be warned, Slytherin's don't go easy on the questions or the dares, and if your caught lying you had better hope that they allow house transfers"  
  
"Only in Slytherin" she mumbled while shaking her head, and smiling all the while.  
  
It was five minutes before class ended when they spoke again.  
  
" Where are you going after classes" Snape piped in.  
  
"Where else the Library!" she chimed.  
  
" Want some company?"  
  
"Sure but Im not doing your homework for you Severus Snape" she played.  
  
He put on a face of mock shock. " ME? Get another student to do my homework?"  
  
They laughed.  
  
"Ugh only you two would joke about homework!" came the annoyed voice of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Oh sush Malfoy! Your just envious of our superior intellect (she looked at Snape and laughed) or I should say "My" superior intellect!"  
  
Thankfully the bell rang just as Snape jumped at her for the insult. She Sprinted, laughingly out of the door, with Snape chasing her yelling mock death threats after her.  
  
Hermione was loosing ground fast to Snape. She silently cursed his long legs as he came up behind her and gently tackled her to the ground, tickling her all the way.  
  
"What did you just say? Apologize now!" he snapped playfully at her.  
  
It amazed Hermione how much her, Lucius and Snape now got along. They were even at the point that some one might call them the best of friends. Well almost. It still shocked her sometimes that this boy who was so full of life would turn into the hated Potions master of Hogwarts. She could think any more, she burst into fits of laughing as Snape tickled her mercilessly.  
  
What scared her even more was that she was starting to see Severus Snape as a real persob, never before had she seen him laugh or smile. Now he was rough housing with her and laughing at her mock insults.  
  
" I will never apologize! You, You, Snape!"  
  
He started to laugh at her inability to make insults when she was laughing.  
  
"Ah Snape! Oh what a horrible thing to say!" He laughed at her and continued to tickle her.  
  
Hermione couldn't take it any longer. " All right all right I give, IM SORRY!"  
  
The tickling stopped and Snape was still over her, she could feel his warm, basil scented breath. He had a smile on his face. He then got up off of her and helped to her feat, both were panting and laughing, both needing each other to keep from fall over.  
  
Lucius finally caught up with them having left the class a few minutes after it had ended. He looked from Snape to Granger and muttered under his breath.  
  
"Your both nuts!"  
  
Hermione and Snape both turned and glared at him, smiles playing on their lips.  
  
"And were have you been Mr. Malfoy" Hermione Snapped playfully.  
  
Lucius for once in his life looked a little nervous but quickly masked it. " Ive been no ware of any importance to you, you nosy little Slytherin!"  
  
Hermione laughed, he was up to something.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Three days later Halloween arrived and Hogwarts came alive with celebration. There were large (magically altered) Jack-O-Lanterns littering the halls, and the traditional live bats fluttered through the school. Dumbledore had even gone as far as to animate some of the skeletons, and other dead remains that resided in the school. There were candles and black lighting through out the halls, and loud moaning gouhls tromped through them causing menace to any student unfortunate enough to fall across one of them.  
  
It was truly a magical time, and to Hermione's observations the Halloween festivals in her time were nothing compared to this. Class for the day was canceled and every one was dressed in a costume. Her self included.  
  
She wore a long mid-evil green dress, complete with corset tied up with cream-colored leather strings giving a weaving affect. The dress was made with a strange green velvet that didn't crumple when she walked (or ran for that matter), she let her hair run wild for the day, the final affect to her look was glittering gold and green eye shadow and long strips of thin vines intended in her hair.  
  
She was a wood nymph.  
  
When she first came down to breakfast that morning she was greeted by Snape and Lucius with open arms, both were truly impressed with her choice in costume. Lucius had dressed him self as a vampire, he had even gone as far as to transfigure his teeth into long viscous looking fangs. Severus Snape how ever had truly surprised her.  
  
Her breath caught in her throat as he came up to her. He was warring (she could not believe it) a long black tunic with long sleeves, it hugged his form like a glove, showing every inch of his stomach, a brown leather belt with what appeared to be a black scabbard complete with sword at his hips, long high set boots with leather string lace up the front, and much to her amazement long tight dark brown riding pants. He had his hair done up loosely in a ponytail tied back with pieces of leather.  
  
He had come as the one thing she would have never expected him too be. This was so different then what she would have expected, she now realized that Severus Snape was more then what he seemed to be.  
  
He had come as Galadrial, a Knight of the round table.  
  
However the whole look was ruined by his traditional scowl that graced his dark face. Hermione laughed and he scowled at her. Not a morning person apparently.  
  
"Happy Halloween!" she chimed merrily.  
  
The each nodded there greeting and took a seat on either side of Hermione, and watched as the hall filed with people. One person however caught Hermione's eye as he walked by with his friends.  
  
Peter Pettigrue?  
  
He turned his blond haired head towards her and their eyes met. He offered her a very dangerous looking smile, she quivered.  
  
"You all right?" inquired Lucius.  
  
"Yah Im fine just got the chills that's all"  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione didn't see Peter or any other of the Marauders for the rest of the day or night for that matter. The day had been on of the best she had ever had since coming to this time. She had spent the morning with Snape, Lucius and Narccissa, playing tricks on some of the other members of the Seventh year, one of her favorites was enchanting the toilets in the boys bathroom on the fifth floor to snap and scream at the boys when they came to do there business.  
  
She had laughed so hard she fell backwards when she had heard one of the comments the enchanted toilet seats had screamed at one of the boys.  
  
" Move Closer you dolt, its not as long as you think!" Screeched the toilet.  
  
She was sure she was going to die of laughter when she saw that the boy who had the comment shouted at him was non other then Sirius Black. He came rushing out of the bathroom pale as chalk and rather shaken.  
  
The best part of her day happened when 11 O'clock at night came around.  
  
She was lead into the common room by Snape and Malfoy and found that the lights were magically enchanted to give of a faint black, purple glow, it was the only light that was to be had. There were a few Jack-O-lanterns scattered about all decorated in snakes and other Slytherin related things, most of the carvings on the pumpkins were moving and the snakes were giving off a faint hissing sound.  
  
The middle of the common room had been cleared of all furniture, all that remained were the carpets and the roaring fire, which was no longer filled with red raging flames but with an eerie green fire that gave off no heat to its surroundings. The one thing that caught her eye was a small glass orb in the middle of the common room surrounded by a pasty white mist. The whole cinario made shivers go up and down her spinal cord.  
  
"Welcome." Came a cold voice behind her devoid of any warmth.  
  
Hermione turned to see a very tall brown haired boy staring down at her, his face was pale white, and his eyes were magically red.  
  
"I'm Blair Zabini, Please follow me every one else is here" He motioned to the orb in front of the fire, as if by "magic" fifteen or so other witches or wizards materialized from the shadows of the room. Blair then walked towards them as the other people in the room moved to make a circle around the orb and the mist; he sat at the head of the circle.  
  
Snape, Malfoy and Hermione all took there seats on the out skirts of the circle, waiting for what ever interesting thing these people had created to show its self.  
  
" For those of you new to this years game, may I bring your attention to the orb that is situated in front of you, It is called an orb of Seraphim which means orb of truth. It plays no part in the dare part of our ritual but it is most important in the truth. The mist that surrounds it is a type of truth Serum, which is only activated when the chosen person selects truth as their choice. You are forewarned"  
  
He then snapped his fingers and the purple light disappeared, leaving the flames as the only source of sight.  
  
" I shall go first (he looked around the circle and his eyes settled on his victim) Lucius Malfoy!"  
  
Lucius tensed beside Hermione and then put on his cocky grin, he got up of the floor and walk towards the best-lighted area of the room so that every one could see him. Hermione cast a look to Blair, his eyes were flaring menacingly.  
  
"Choose your poison!" he barked, a faint glimmer of a smile on his face.  
  
Lucius raised his head proudly and glared down at Blair. " My poison is DARE!" he roared to all. The first dare of the game.  
  
"Very well" Blair said quietly. "Since you have chosen dare I dare you to.enter the Gryffindor common room and travel up to the girls dormitory, once there you are to acquire an item from one of the Girls there. I suggest you don't get caught Lucius as the Gryffindor party does not think kindly of " Panty" raids."  
  
Hermione tried not to laugh as Lucius smiled at this thought, it truly was an easy dare, the Slytherin's put on a good show but there dares were the same as those in the Muggle world.  
  
It was five minutes after that Lucius returned from the Gryffindor Common room holding in his hand a pair of cotton whites underwear with a name imprinted on it. He handed it to Blair who read the name and fell over laughing.  
  
" Our dear boy Lucius has a death wish, he has stolen the undergarments of non other then the Gryffindor Marauders favorite play thing. Lily Evan's!"  
  
Hermione didn't find this as funny as she thought but the goofy grin of Lucius's face was enough to make her laugh, Blair chuckled the garment back to Lucius and told him to keep it.  
  
"Your turn Lucius, choose your victim!"  
  
Lucius walked around the circle and stopped infront of Snape and Hermione, he had a smile playing on his face. " Snape I believe it's your poison."  
  
Snape didn't bat an eye. " Dare"  
  
Lucius had been secretly hopping that he would have picked that, and gave him a very indecent smile.  
  
" I believe Severus that your dare is of the romantic kind."  
  
Severus if possible went paler then usual, romance obviously wasn't what he hoped he was going to get. Hermione was secretly hoping that Snape would get a dare like this, his romantic capabilities were somewhat unknown about when she was his student, and it was often said that he was inpitint  
  
" Severus I believe that a simple French kiss would suffice."  
  
"As long as I don't have to kiss you Lucius I don't think that it would be a problem" A roar of laughter came from the Slytherin's in the circle.  
  
Lucius glared down at him and then turned his eyes to a girl in the circle. " I believe that you will have to kiss Miss Granger!"  
  
Hermione blanched and tried not to gag, her mind screamed no! Over and over again, she did not want to kiss her potions teacher, the slimy git who had made her life hell for seven years, who had made fun of her infront of the class for knowing all the answers, who had .saved her life.  
  
Suddenly Hermione felt something incredibly soft pressed against her lips, she closed her eyes and savored the feeling. Whatever it was felt like heaven. A sudden smell of basil crept into her senses and her eyes flew open. She was starring into the dark night like eyes of Severus Snape she could see the green flames of the fire reflected in his eyes. He looked so confident so noble, his black hair fanned out draping down, tickling her nose. His lips were pressed to hers.  
  
Suddenly there was a longs fingered hand at the small of her back, pulling her close to him. In a throw of magic she opened her mouth and invited him in. He needed no further invitation and seeked her soft mouth. Hermione brought her hands to his strong shoulders and pulled him closer.  
  
Severus was devouring her, soul and body; his kiss was like a warm blanket over a sheet of ice. He tasted of Basil and a deep honey. His mouth was soft and his teeth perfect in every way not like the yellowing version that they would transform into. Hermione closed her eyes and aloud herself to be free in wild abandon. Never had she been kissed in such a way, it was like a slow but ferocious worship of her.  
  
There was a cough from beside them. " Umm Sev I think that's enough."  
  
Hermione's eyes flew open and so did Snapes, the both immediately released each other, they both laughed sheepishly, and inside Hermione's stomach was between fluttering butterflies and loosing her lunch.  
  
She had just kissed Severus Snape and she had enjoyed it! She felt like such a betrayer. To all that she had ever loved.  
  
She could see that Snape was painting, and was clearly embarrassed, a sudden surge of anger flared through her, was she that bad of a kisser. Mercifully Snape did not pick her he picks another. It took about twenty more minutes for it to be Hermione's turn, she was simply dared by one of the boys to remove the top of her corset from her costume and prance around like a pixie in her undergarments.  
  
Now she could dare or truth some one. With out thinking she shouted. "Snape! Choose your poison."  
  
Once again he picked dare, but not without a comment. " No Miss Granger I will not kiss you again!"  
  
She felt her cheeks go red and then she picked his downfall. He blanched more then he had when he was told to kiss her.  
  
" You have go to be kidding me!" He Snapped.  
  
"Just do it and it has to stay on for the rest of the night!"  
  
With that Snape left and went up the stairs to his room, a moment later he came down his hair was out of its pony tail and his costume was gone replaced by a.  
  
" Looking good Snape!" Screamed Lucius through his laughter. There was a comply of hooting from the rest of the girls and boys in attendance.  
  
Snape had come down warring a dark green velvet low cut, tight around the hip dress, complete with black high heels.  
  
" I must say Snape you have great hips" commented Hermione.  
  
" I will make you pay for this Granger! I promise" He snarled at her.  
  
There was a snort of Laughter behind Snape and he turned to see Lucius on the floor trying not to die of laughter.  
  
"Lucius choose your poison!"  
  
Lucius who was under the influence of high-powered laughter did not realize that he had chosen dare until it was too late.  
  
Snape grinned evilly.  
  
Five minutes Lucius was downed in a long scoop necked Gryffindor red dress with stilettos was seated on the floor flaunting his stuff. The whole Slytherin house was in an up roar. Hermione had never seen such as sight as both Snape and Malfoy got up and posed for every one. She had to finish this off right, she ran quickly out of the common room and returned with a camera. She quickly gave it to Blair and ran off to be with the boys.  
  
The was a picture taken that night that most people would never ever understand, but to the two boys in the dresses and the bushy haired girl in her bra and a long green skirt it was the beginning of a true friendship.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
At the stroke of mid-night the game came to an end.  
  
Hermione granger watched the clear black sky twinkle with the marryment of Halloween. There was a deep sense of a hidden magic in the air tonight. It seeped into her very soul. A slight wind picked up on the balcony where she stood in her black bra and green silk dress out side of the Slytherin Common room.  
  
All alone.  
  
A shiver went up her spin as a slight wind picked up making her bushy curls of dark honey dance around in the night,  
  
Hermione felt a pain of disapointment relizing that this was the most fun she had ever had in her entire short life. More fun then she had ever had when she was with Harry or Ron.  
  
A tear begain to fall from her face, Gods she felt like a trator to there memory. She felt the blasted tear start to fall down her soft white cheek.  
  
She gasped at what she felt next. A warm hand brushed the tear away from her.  
  
She looked up into from her moping gaze and into the gaze of some one she never thought she would be glad to see.  
  
"You ok Granger?" Severus Snape's velvet voice asked.  
  
She dumbly nodded and looked over the balcony again.  
  
"Yes, Just remebering old times." She wanted to break down but held herself together, having him see her like that was the last thing she ever wanted in life.  
  
He gave her a quizical almost carring look. " Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
She nodded a yes but spoke aloud no. He gave her a confused look and she stayed silent afterwards.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~ Snape watched her as he stood beside her outside on the balcony.  
  
Why did she seem in so much pain?  
  
The girl was so confusing, one minute she's warm like butter and just as soft the next she tougher then stone.  
  
Why do I care? He whispered to himself.  
  
He saw another tear traveling down her face and rest on her lips. The very soft and supple lips that he had kissed less then an hour ago. What in gods name had possed him to do that. He wasn't supposed to get attached, Hell he wasn't even sure if he was attachted. Things just weren't clear in life as they used to be.  
  
He wasn't even her real friend, so why did he care?  
  
Instead of brushing the tear away like had had the last time he wrapped his arm around the small girl, not knowing what had possed him to do that. He felt her stiffen much like he always did when someone touched him.  
  
Another thing we seem to share, a lack of love for human contact.  
  
Much to his amazement she relaxed against him, buring her bushy haired head into his chest.  
  
They stayed like that for hours watching the sun rise over the grounds of Hogwarts, both not knowing that a new level in there lives had just been achieved. 


	14. The worlds little prejudices

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione awoke on November the 1st with a slight light headed feeling, she rolled around in her large feather down green sheeted bed musing of the fun that had had last night. She suddenly gave a gasp of horror and sat up straight as a bored in her bed.  
  
"Oh My God!" she screamed. " I kissed my potions Teacher!"  
  
The realization that she had kissed no almost devoured her soon to be potions master and the brain of every student's existence last night came crashing into her brain. and she had liked it...no she had loved it. She absentmindedly brought her hand to her mouth and felt were his soft thin lips had claimed her own. For a soon to be greasy git he was an amazing kisser. She felt her cheeks go a deep red from the thought of him.  
  
Then the balcony, he held her till dawn. Gods what was going on, and why did you allow your self to be held? Ecspecialy by him.  
  
Hermione tried in vain to null the awkward feeling in her stomach when she thought of the dark eyed quick witted sullen boy who had held her tight last night when she was wallowing in self pity/  
  
"Hermione this mark must be doing something to your brain!" she snapped at herself.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione walked down into the great hall for breakfast she noticed a grand commotion over by the house point score board. There had to have been at least twenty people surrounding a special notice at the bottom of the point recorders.  
  
"Hey Granger!" shouted Lucius from the mass of people, as he waded his way towards her, closely followed by Severus Snape. Hermione felt her cheeks become warm at the sight of him and quickly averted her eyes from his tall dark form towards Lucius.  
  
"Whats going on?" she inquired.  
  
"Dueling club competition sing up." Came Snapes voice in a rough response, Hermione stole a quick glance at him and saw that he had the faintest twinge of a blush on his pale cheeks and he was plainly avoiding her gaze.  
  
"So are you going to enter it?" Lucius said while lightly bumping Hermione.  
  
"Wh- What?" she sounded surprised.  
  
"So you're not going to then?"  
  
" No I don't think so"  
  
There was a deep laugh from beside Lucius that seemed to have come from Severus. The blush was no longer present in his face, it had returned to its normal pale state.  
  
"Whats your problem?" Hermione inquired, to Severus who no longer seemed to be blushing but was starring at her wit ha scowl and contempt.  
  
"I just think that it is a wise move that you shouldn't enter the competition," he said with a bit of a snarl.  
  
" Oh and why is that?"  
  
"It's quite simple really, you would get grounded into a mass of blood and frizzy hair with in the first match so there's really no point in signing up for it." He said matter of factly.  
  
Hermione felt anger flair inside of her, what is he playing at. Ha she laughed to herself. She probably had more experience dueling then he did, or the whole school for that matter. "Care to place a bet on that Snape?" she spat.  
  
"What that you'll be destroyed in the first round?" he said with amusement.  
  
"No, that I'll with the whole bloody competition" she growled.  
  
She saw many emotions flash across Snapes face all of which returned to one, thrill and contempt.  
  
" Well I will take that bet, but I truly doubt that you will be able to win the competition!"  
  
"Oh and why is that?!"  
  
" Very simple (he glared down at her with a daggers and poison) I intend to win Granger"  
  
Hermione felt her resolve faultier a bit, only now after she had made the challenge did she realize what she was doing, she had just challenged her potion master to a duel, her Death eater potion master who for all she knew had probably already killed some one, to a wizards duel competition! She had never wanted to smack herself so hard before. What ever feelings that were there before were now gone replaced by plain fear.  
  
But she couldn't let Snape see that.  
  
" Ok then Snape a little wager, I win I will chose what ever punishment I see fit for you!"  
  
Snape suddenly looked very interested. " And if I win?"  
  
"What is it that you want?" she asked a little worriedly.  
  
"When I Win I shall choose what ever punishment I see fit for you, no questions asked!"  
  
She thought on this for a moment, there was no way she was going to loose. She held out her hand to him. "Deal?"  
  
His hand and long spidery fingers clasped hers, and she fought hard not to blush again. " Deal!" he whispered.  
  
" Are you two done with the whole " Im a bigger Wizard/Witch then you are" scheme?" came the highly annoyed voice of Lucius.  
  
The two of then let go of each others hands like they were on fire. "What ever" mumbled Hermione.  
  
"Are you going to enter Lucius?"  
  
"No, Professor Lacouse band me from it last year." He mumbled sounding very embarrassed.  
  
"Why?" Asked Hermione.  
  
"Because he got drunk off his rocker before one of the final matches and some how managed to transfigure his own wand into a rubber chicken." Came Snape, trying desperately hard not to laugh at his embarrassed friend.  
  
"Yah it took Lacouse two weeks to figure out how to turn it back" mumbled Lucius.  
  
Hermione just laughed and grabbed the two boys and headed down for breakfast. The hall as usual was packed full of students and littered with teachers. The trio sat down at the Slytherin table and began "wolfing" down morsels of food. All three of them hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday due to the Halloween festivities.  
  
Hermione smiled in her Pumpkin juice at the thought of yesterday; there had been games, food, competitions, food oh and of course food. Then there was the truth or dare match, that it is self was amazing, the Slytherin Snakes had really gone all out for that, and the Orb had truly amazed her. However she was very careful to always take the dare's lest some of her secrets about her origin leak out.  
  
Once again Hermione's mind returned to the kiss she had shared with Severus Snape. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Not that she was completely with out knowledge in that area but she new from the way he kissed that he was a master of the art.  
  
Like so many other things.  
  
"Hey Hermione! You awake?" Lucius asked while waving a hand infront of her face trying to gain her attention.  
  
She came out of her daze. "What?"  
  
"You looked like you were away with the pixies! What was with the goofy smile on your face?" he inquired.  
  
Hermione blushed a deep crimson, and Lucius picked up on it.  
  
"Oohh, I see then. (He nudged Snape I n the ribs next to him) Looks like our litter Granger is growing up, she's got her first crush!" laughed.  
  
Hermione looked indignant, and seethed at Lucius. " I do not have a "Crush!" as you so plainly put it"  
  
"Not going to fly Granger, I've seen that look before, you've got it bad for some one. Common tell us, we won't say a thing!"  
  
Hermione looked at Lucius and then to Snape. She froze when she got to Snape, he looked shut off from the world, and right then and there he looked just like he did when he taught her potions. Shaking the thoughts from her head she rounded back to Lucius.  
  
"Lucius get it through your head, I'm not attracted to any one at this school, alright."  
  
Yes you are! Came that annoying little voice in the back of her head.  
  
She told it to shut up.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
The rest of the day was completely uneventful; she had finished all of her classes in the morning and now only had her normal double potions with the gryffendors. She had left the library at lunch early so she could get there a head of time.  
  
When she reached the class room in the deep hart of the dungeons she reached to open the door but froze when she heard voices inside the class room.  
  
"Selena, you know as well as I do that we should get her away from them." Hermione knew that voice she had heard it for the last seven years of her life, it was Minerva McGonagall head of Gryffindor house.  
  
"Minerva! May I remind you that this is my son that you are talking about!" came the short and snappy reply of Selena Lacouse.  
  
"My apologies Selena but I still think we should remove her from the two of them, something isn't right and you know as well as I do the future that is in store for those two."  
  
" I know Minvera, and it pains me to think that my own flesh and blood would do such a thing especially him." ( She sounded exasperated )  
  
" Precisely why we should remove her from their company, of all the boys she had to get mixed up with."  
  
Lacouse cut her off. " I believe that she will be good for them, she is here for a reason."  
  
"Selena may I remind you that what your "son" is going to do, what he is going to do to us all, what he is going to do to you."(Minerva had lost the bite in her voice.)  
  
"I have accepted my fate Minerva."  
  
" Well not me! I know Whats going to happen and I won't allow it."  
  
"And how do you know Whats going to happen Minerva, I thought you disliked divination."  
  
"Lets just say that I have taken an interest in the future since it came walking through those gates and told me I was dead."  
  
Hermione froze, they were talking about her, which meant that dumbledore had told them what she ha told him. This day just kept on getting better and better.  
  
A thought struck Hermione...... Lacouse has a son?  
  
She silently smacked herself for not realizing it, they hid it well.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Twenty minute later Hermione sat at the front of the class flanked by Lucius and Snape listening to Professor Lacouse dictated today's assignment to them. Through her furious taking of notes she watched two people in the class very closely. One was Lacouse, the way she looked at the students, most were with hard contempt and some a thirst to strangle. How she reminded Hermione of her original potions master.  
  
Then she saw it, Lacouse made an error she gazed over to the trio of Slytherin's and Hermione saw for the briefest moment that her eyes softened when she looked at one of the students. Now Hermione knew why she seemed so familiar, her eyes, her hair, even her facial structure was the very same as.  
  
Severus Snape.  
  
It made so much sense now, Snapes love of potions had come from his mother along with his striking features. Why did they keep it secret?  
  
Hermione was brought back to the class room surroundings when she heard Lacouse bark out instructions for the rest of the class.  
  
Once again she was pair with Lily Potter and Severus Snape.  
  
"Hello" chimed Lily with her usual bright smile and the three of them gathered around the cauldron to prepare for there potion.  
  
"Lily" nodded Snape in acknowledgement.  
  
Hermione gave her a brief nod and a smile as they began.  
  
A half an hour later they had finished there potion which was now a bright sparkling red before the rest of the class and were given time to chat.  
  
"So where are you from Lily?" Hermione inquired.  
  
"I live in London with my parents and sister." She replied.  
  
Hermione remembered now that lily was Muggle born and that her sister was one of the worst haters of magic the world of Muggles had ever spawned. Hermione bet that if she could Petunia Evans would have burned Lily at the stake for heratizim.  
  
"What about you Hermione, we never hear anything of where you're from." Lily inquired.  
  
Hermione noticed that Snape suddenly became interested in the conversation, she had never talked about where she had been before she came to Hogwarts, no matter how hard Lucius and Severus pressed the matter.  
  
" There's not much to tell, my parents are dead and I currently live at the school" Hermione said trying to keep the mounting pain out of her voice, it had been so long since she had thought of her parents.  
  
"How did they die?" Snape asked in a very soft and gentle tone that was unheard of for him.  
  
Hermione bit her lip hard until she felt the coppery taste of blood seep into her mouth, and she turned a very hard and closed off look to Snape. " Wizards killed them." She whispered.  
  
Snape's eyes widened and looked at Hermione with mixed emotions, Hermione knew she had just let slip a huge clue to him and he may just be smart enough to figure out what it meant.  
  
Lily noticed how Hermione had added a little bit of bite to the word "wizard" and realization dawned on her.  
  
"Your Muggle born aren't you" she whispered, knowing what might happen if the Slytherin's found a Muggle born in there house.  
  
Hermione once again was on her guard, she knew lily was Muggle born and found comfort in that but she didn't want the whole school knowing her heritage.  
  
Holding her head high she answered. " Yes I' am"  
  
Lily was baffled. " How the heck did you get into Slytherin then, they don't accept Muggle boron's!"  
  
Lily had a good point, why was she placed in Slytherin, the house had banned all Muggle borns and here she was mingling with the best of them. There was a sudden twinge in her arm. The mark, it must have swayed the hat some how. Once again it reminded Hermione that Voldmort now held a sort of sway over her life.  
  
Thankfully Lily and Snape both decided that it was time to change the subject.  
  
"I think the potions ready" commented Snape.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione left the class before anyone had a chance to speak with her. She needed time alone, her conversation with Lily Evans had brought back memories that she didn't need to deal with at the moment, it had only been about two months since she had first came to this time and the wounds were still fresh.  
  
She wasn't aloud much time to herself however because as she was making her way back the Slytherin common room on her own a large hand placed its self on her shoulder. She assumed it was Dumbledore until she felt a warm tinge in her stomach. Turning she became lost in the eyes of Severus Snape.  
  
Why was he looking at her that way?  
  
"Are you ok?" He asked his silken soft voice rolled off of his tongue. It took every thing in her power not to shiver.  
  
"Yes Im fine would you please let go of me?" It was more of a command then a request.  
  
But he didn't let go. He just looked at her like he was trying to read her soul. I know she's hiding something, she does it well but it's driving me mad not knowing.  
  
She just continued to glare at him. He was sure that her face was going to stay like that permanently if she didn't stop. Reluctantly he let go, but held her fast with his eyes.  
  
"Your not and I know it" he whispered.  
  
With a swirl of robes he left and for the first time in months Hermione felt tears begging to gather behind her eyes.  
  
She quickly disappeared up to her room and aloud the world to come crashing in on her.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
It was a day later when Hermione saw Lucius and Snape again; she hadn't come down for dinner that night. She had been to busy crying her hart out for lost loved ones and for the pains in her hart that were beginning to crack through her soul.  
  
She took a seat next to Snape as it had been left open. He nodded in recognition of her presence. Lucius on the other hand smiled widely he was seated on the other side of Hermione and gave her a nudge with his shoulder.  
  
Hermione gave an attempt to smile, only yesterday night did she realize what she had been doing for the last two months. She had been turning away from her friends to one who would become a death eater and another who would share the same fate but turn away.  
  
What the hell was she doing, she craved companionship and she knew it. Deep inside however she knew that something about this wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to be friends with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. It wasn't how history was supposed to be played. There was no way for that game to be played.  
  
Soon the plates along the four house tables clattered and filled with food. In Hermione's there were bacon and sausages, she looked down at it in disgust. It had been three years since she had last eaten pork. She wasn't about to start now.  
  
"I take it you don't like what you have on your plate?" inquired Snape.  
  
" I stopped eating pork years ago, I have to much respect for the animal." She said matter of faculty.  
  
" Because of its intelligence?" Snape pressed.  
  
He had hit it right on the nail, that was why she never ate pig or pork ever again, she had to much respect for the animal and thought it cruel to destroy anything with such an understanding around it. She gave Snape an impressed look and replaced the pig on her plate with French toast.  
  
As she was eating she gazed over the tables, her eyes caught on the famous Gryffindor Marauders, and they were all in deep conversation with Lily Evan's. Lily turned and looked at Hermione who smile brightly at the girl. She hoped she could talk to her again it was something special to speak with your best friends dead mother. What she saw next was unexpected, Sirius Black looked up at her and gave her a sneer followed by Peter Pettigrue. Sirius's didn't really scare her but Peter's did.  
  
He was completely different then what he would look like in a few years. He held no traces of a potbelly and was rather well built like Fred or George Weasly, but that was as far as the resemblance went. He had short ruff blond hair, not like Lucius's flowing golden locks. His eyes were a dark brown and held no spark to them, there was very little power in this boy and even less intelligence.  
  
Then why did he scar her so?  
  
"Hermione, were going to go back to the common room before classes start do you wana come?" Asked Lucius.  
  
"Sure" She replied eager to get away from the eyes that were now on her.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
They were on their way to the common room when a bunch of Gryffindor and RavenClaw girls came chirping by. A few of them giving Severus and Lucius fluttering looks and then rather hate laced glances at Hermione. IT was then she realized that most girls would kill to be in her position with the two Slytherin's. Little did the girls know that Hermione would kill to get out of it?  
  
One of the girls a RavenClaw was Narccissa, she gave Hermione a soft smile and then a worried glance at Lucius who just raised his eye browns and smiled evilly at her. Hermione was going to have to ask what was going on between them.  
  
"Did you see the looks those girl gave me, Sev?" Lucius chimed rather arrogantly.  
  
Severus raised his eyebrows. " You? Those looks were plainly for me my good friend."  
  
" In your dreams Snape, any girl could see that Im more attractive"  
  
"Yes what girl wouldn't want a short arrogant "Itchy" little boy, who has his head shoved up so far up his ass that he could have a conversation with his stomach."  
  
Hermione snorted in laughter. The two boys turned to her. " I have a solution to the quarrel right here." Lucius commented proudly.  
  
"Hermione which one of us is more attractive."  
  
Hermione just about choked. What the hell had he just asked her? What shocked her more was the fact that they had noticed that she was a girl. Harry and Ron never did that.  
  
"You both are butt ugly now common lets go."  
  
Both boys looked at her with crushed pride and were rather surprised at her. Hermione just laughed and grabbed the two rather shocked boys and headed down to the Slytherin Common room. They were half way there when Hermione tripped and found herself flat on her face.  
  
"Watch ware your going Slytherin Bitch!"  
  
Hermione knew that voice; she looked up and saw two pairs of brown faded eyes. Looking further she saw that it was Peter Pettigrue flanked by Sirius Black. James and Remus were no were to be found.  
  
Lucius bent down to help Hermione to her feet as Snape turned to the two laughing Gryffendor's.  
  
" Cant ever pick on some one your own size eh black?" He snapped, taking a step towards the two Gryffendors.  
  
"Always have to defend your little girlfriend Snape?" came the squeaky and very unconfident voice of Peter.  
  
Hermione had finally picked herself up off the ground and rounded on Peter, her eyes blazing with more rage then they had ever had with Snape. She could clearly see Peter falter. She was a good head taller then him and had more power and brains then he could ever acquire. Her mind raced as she fought to remember every little detail she had about him.  
  
He was the one who had started it all, he gave James and Lily Potter to Voldmort, the little worm had put Sirius, Harry's Godfather in Azkaban, and then into a grave in the ground when she was in her sixth year.  
  
She didn't want to have anything to do with him; he was probably already working for Voldmort. Helping him plan out how he would rule the world.  
  
She turned to Snape and Malfoy. "Let's just go, there's no point in having it out with people who are severely under our IQ level." She grabbed their arms and started to walk away.  
  
"Haha Snape, you need a what was the word that you Slytherin's use oh yes a "Mudblood" to bail you out of a fight!" It was blacks voice.  
  
Hermione stopped and let go of Malfoy and Snape, she turned to face Black there was fear in her eyes. How did he know? Then it hit her. Lily she must have told them, god how could she have been so stupid! Of course she would take any chance possible to cause trouble to a Slytherin, Lily was a Gryffendore.  
  
She turned to Snape who looked just as surprised as she did. There was a notable fear in his eyes.  
  
She then turned to Malfoy who looked as though he had just stepped in dog feicese. He backed away from Hermione and looked at Snape with an accusing look.  
  
"Your Muggle born?" he sneered down at her. Hermione just looked at him with saddened eyes, she knew she had lost his friend ship, he would never remain friends with her, there was no point, she wasn't pureblooded and he was.  
  
Snape on the other hand seemed not to truly care at all that she was Muggle born and had told her before.  
  
Gods how she wanted to rip Lily's little perfect head off of her shoulders.  
  
Black laughed at her discomfort.  
  
She turned to face him once again; cold fury was reflected in her eyes. " You know Black for a Gryffindor you sure are a snake, I do not care that you know that I'm Muggle born, but I'm warning you, stay away from me or you will find out why that damned hat placed me in Slytherin!"  
  
Never in her life had she ever been so angry and so disgusted with the world. She may be Muggle born but she was still a witch and the brightest of her generation, or generations. Well both her worlds!  
  
Her gaze and fury then turned to the rat beside the tall dark haired scumbage that was to be her best friends godfather.  
  
"You Peter had better watch your step around me because I know more about you than you would like any one out side the "Circle" to know."  
  
She saw him blanch visibly at her words, well at least there was one question answered. Peter was in fact a death eater or an apprentice to Voldmort at this time. It was written on his face at her carefully chosen words.  
  
With that she spun in a fury of robes, and walked down the hall ready to bring fire and brimstone down on the world if it so much as breathed. 


	15. Pureblooded hatred

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning was one of the worst that Hermione Granger had ever experienced. After getting dressed in her normal green and black school robes she headed down to the great hall for breakfast, she didn't realize that to first get there she was going to have to go through the Slytherin Common room.  
  
The minute she stepped through the entrance painting into the common room there was an Erie hush that went through the room. Almost all of the Slytherin Seventh years and a few of the sixth years were there. All of them were staring at her, not a smile or a nod of recognition any ware among the masses of students. Hermione had now stopped dead in her tracks; her face was impassable, hard and dignified.  
  
It was the same face that Hermione had used when the Slytherin's had come after her for being Muggle born when she was in Gryffindor.  
  
A tall blond haired boy moved away from the crowd of green and black and stared Hermione in the eyes with his cold blue steel ones.  
  
"Lucius" Hermione nodded in recognition; she knew what was coming.  
  
Lucius Malfoy sneered down at Hermione, if Draco had been evil looking when he confronted her Lucius Malfoy was the devil. " Mudblood." He snarled, the rest of the Slytherin's laughed at her.  
  
Hermione felt her cheeks getting red from enbarisment and anger. She lifted her head high in a defiant gesture and started to walk past Lucius and the other Slytherin's who happened to be standing infront of the exit painting.  
  
"Where do you think your going, Mudblood?" Lucius commented.  
  
Hermione just ignored him like an annoying little Nat that desperately needed to be swatted. IT hurt her because only yesterday she had been friends with this monster, the Slytherin trio was dead.  
  
A hand placed its self on her shoulder and spun her around. " I asked you a question you Mudblood wench!" Lucius growled.  
  
She was scared, and there was pain beginning to shoot up her arm again, it was catching fire again. God she needed to get away from him, she needed to see Dumbledore! She winced in pain as it began its burning journey.  
  
IT wasn't going to beat her, Lucius Malfoy wasn't going to beat her!  
  
She stared back up into his cold eyes; hers were balls of fire. " Back off Lucius and the name isn't "Mudblood" its Hermione you dumb ass" She wrenched her shoulder out of his grasp.  
  
Lucius flared at her and pulled his wand pointing it at Hermione, she wanted to close her eyes but was determined to win at least that simple victory. Slowly she began to reach for her wand.  
  
" I wouldn't do that you little bitch, Im gonna teach you once and for all." He was grinning maliciously at her, she shivered.  
  
Lucius began to speak a spell at Hermione when a gasp went up through the crowd of Slytherin's and a cold voice, colder than ice ran through the air.  
  
"Drop it Malfoy!"  
  
Lucius turned around in the direction of the voice, there behind him, his own wand drawn was Severus Snape.  
  
"What the hell are you doing Sev?" Lucius growled.  
  
"Saving your ass it would seem" yawned Snape.  
  
Lucius laughed. " Snape I doubt I will need help fighting a little Mudblood."  
  
Snape lowered his wand but did not reduce his threatening glare. " Have you even thought of what might happen if you were to attack her?" by the look on Lucius's face he had clearly not. " Professor Lacouse would of course penalize you, Dumbledore would expel you and non of this is worse than what would await you it you were to attack "her"!" Hermione noticed the added power in his voice as he said "her".  
  
Lucius lowered his wand, and glared at Snape and Hermione. He walked past Hermione but not before pushing her over violently, with a growl he left the room with a loud. "Watch yourself Mudblood."  
  
Nearly every one in the room jumped as the painting at the exit was thrown shut in anger sending out a large bang!  
  
Snape cast a warning glare around the room to the other Slytherin's, all of them back away to there own business. It was then that Hermione realized that Snape wasn't just feared as a teacher but had been feared as a student in Hogwarts as well.  
  
He was a powerful wizard and the magic that surounded him was more then anything Hermione could have ever hoped to achieve. It was like a heavy clock laid of a week body.  
  
This was the man that would enter into the servace of the dark lord and teach her all she needed to know of the coldness of the world.  
  
Snape's gaze fell to Hermione as she was picking herself up off the floor. "Your more stupid then you look." He whispered giving her a hand up. Hermione felt a shock go through her as her hand made contact with his own.  
  
"Thank you." She mumbled, still very shaken at what had happened.  
  
" You need to watch your self Granger, I'm serious, Lucius is dangerous beyond belief, and I can't be there every waking moment to save you." He voice was soft and almost caring.  
  
" I didn't think he would have re-acted like he did to me being a muggle born." She whispered.  
  
" That's his Malfoy upbringing, he was bred to believe that he was better then the rest of the world." Snapes eyes darkened a bit.  
  
" Why don't you act the same?" It was a question she was dieing to get out.  
  
" I just don't." He said matter of factly, she new that was all the answer she would get out of him.  
  
" Common lets go get something to eat Im starved." With that Snape grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the common room.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
As the two of them entered the great hall they were greeted by glares and snarls from the Slytherin table, add this to the rest of the house greetings and you got a very nice morning greeting.  
  
Hermione immediately looked over to the Gryffindor table to ware the Gryffindor Marauders were sitting. Lily just happened to look up from her plate at this time and gave Hermione a very smug look. Hermione had had enough; she returned the look with a glare that simply said. " If I catch you alone, there wont be enough of you left to fill a match box." She nearly laughed as she saw lily go slightly pale.  
  
It was really starting to scare her, how much she acted like a Slytherin.  
  
With out warning she gasped.  
  
Pain was starting to shoot up her arm again, but it was nothing compared to the hunger pains she had from skipping dinner the night before.  
  
"You alright?" Snape asked while taking his normal seat at the Slytherin breakfast table. Ignoring the glares that were shot at him by the rest of the house.  
  
"Ya Im fine, um..I just forgot that I have an assignment due in a week and haven't finished it." She wondered if he could be so stupid as to believe it, from the look in his eye he didn't. Thankfully he didn't press it, one of the few qualities she enjoyed about the Slytherin's was that they minded there own business most of the time.  
  
She took her normal seat next to Snape at the breakfast table, he was the only person there who didn't scowl or wince with disgust as she walked by them. She gave him a small smile which he nodded in return.  
  
She picked up her fork and watched as a large fruit salad appeared on her plate. Thankfully the house elves remembered from her last breakfast that she didn't eat pork. She laced into the salad with a vengeance, ending most of her hunger in a few minutes.  
  
Snape stole a quick glance at her and his eyes bulged a little as he watched her speed eating progress.  
  
"Your gonna choke if you keep that up" he sneered, taking a dainty bite of his own breakfast.  
  
She was just about to say something to him when she noticed Lucius walking by carrying a glass of pumpkin juice. She wanted to say hello for old times sake but caught her self, remembering what might have happened had Snape not been there to save her.  
  
Just as Lucius passed behind her he gave a fake tripping motion and dumped the glass full of pulpy juice down her front and on her head.  
  
She gasped in horror and wanted to throw her self at Lucius as she heard him and the rest of the hall laughed at her misfortune.  
  
Thankfully she was a witch and it was time to prove to the rest of the hall and the Slytherin's that she was in fact a witch and a damn good one at that. She mumbled a quick clearing spell and the pumpkin juice and pulp vanished from her robes. Then she looked at Lucius and gracefully pointed her wand at the smirking boy and mumbled a spell very quietly so that no one could hear.  
  
The juice and pulp that had been dumped on her came crashing down on Lucius.  
  
He was soaked. Large clumps of pumpkin pulp dangled from his now orange main of hair. The juice had also splashed him down the front giving the affect (or rather looking like) he had lost control of his bladder.  
  
With in a second it happened, Lucius lunged at her wand barred, knocking her off the table bench. She landed on the stone floor with a large thump.  
  
Lucius red with rage threw a boil curse at her and her face broke out in red blotches.  
  
She screamed in pain, both from the boils and from the pain in her arm that was now ripping through her. She had just enough breath left in her lungs to mutter her own retaliation. It was a little spell that she had picked up from an old teacher that she and all the other female students in Hogwarts had loved and loathed.  
  
Gilderoy Lockhart.  
  
Effectively Lucius lost all the bones in his left legs and screamed as a numbing feeling washed over the limb.  
  
He fell onto the ground with a thud, mumbling frantic words as he stared at his now boneless limb. Hermione relaxed as she saw him panic and stayed still for a moment trying to douse the pain that she was feeling.  
  
The next thing she new was being hoisted off the ground roughly by a pair of hands. She saw Lucius being lifted off the ground by non-other then Professor Dumbledore himself. There was no twinkle in his eyes.  
  
In less then a minute both were sitting in front of the large oaken desk of the headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, the aging man held fury in his eyes.  
  
Hermione had never been so scared in her life. 


	16. Keep your Enemies closer

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Albus Dumbledore Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stared down from he seat behind his large oaken desk, at the two students before him. One was white with fright the other was wincing in pain gripping her arm.  
  
Dumbledore pulled his half moon spectacles off of his face and began to clean them with a silken white handkerchief, after doing so he cleared his through and brought the room to attention.  
  
" I have never been so disappointed in my students" he whispered. " No only did you both completely disregard the rules of the hall but of the school as well." His tone was dead and saddened.  
  
Hermione's throat tightened, why couldn't Dumbledore just yell at them like every other teach would have, the use of guilt that Dumbledore used was more painful.  
  
"Now as punishment for you Miss Granger." He said turning in Hermione's direction. " You will be spending three weeks of detention with your head of house, she will chose what ever punishment she sees fit for you."  
  
Hermione nodded weakly, wincing slightly not trusting her self to speak. The pain in her arm was returning with a vengence.  
  
Dumbledores demeanor changed as he turned to face Lucius who was paler then chalk. His eyes held no friendliness or warmth. For once Hermione wished she wasn't anywhere near him.  
  
" Lucius Malfoy, you have been in my presence with Muggle born harassment before, I have warned you countless times that you would be expelled if you were found guilty of it again." His voice was hard and commanding. "You have been found guilty!"  
  
Lucius was shaking as he starred blankly back at Dumbledore. Hermione felt a pain of compassion for her no longer friend. He might have been harassing her for being Muggle born but she knew parts of him weren't like the monster she met in the Slytherin common room. His mind had been poisoned.  
  
Dumbledore was still looking at Lucius as he continued his punishment. " Lucius Malfoy it is my decision that you shall be expelled from Hogwarts, and that you will not graduate." Suddenly the coldness was gone from his eyes and a faint glint of his famous blue twinkle came back. " It is however not my decision, I think that it is only fair for the wronged party to decide your fate."  
  
Hermione had gone temporarily deft, had he just said what she thought he just said? Damn it Dumbledore don't make me do this. She felt three pairs of eyes on her, Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and Professor Lacouse who hadn't left the room but had been standing in the shadows watching.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. " Miss Granger I believe that in this case it is your decision"  
  
Hermione turned to Lucius, she knew what she had to do, and she would end this now. She glared at Lucius for all that he had done to her, he just stared blankly back at her knowing what she was about to say.  
  
How she loved to prove him wrong.  
  
" Headmaster" She said in her most professional tone she could muster, never removing her eyes from Lucius. " I believe that the only punishment that would truly affect Lucius would be to spend the next three weeks in detention with the thing he seems to hate most.a Muggle born."  
  
She couldn't believe what she had just said; she could have gotten it to stop. A thought hit her hard as she watched Lucius who looked as though he would faint. She could have stopped it, if Lucius never graduated from Hogwarts he might never had become a death eater, he would have never married and had Draco. Both father and son were responsible for the deaths of hundreds. Her parents might have never have died.  
  
A glint appeared in her eyes, no one but Dumbledore caught it.  
  
It was at that very moment that her brain realized the power it held she could change the past and affect the future.  
  
" I believe that that is a just ruling Miss Granger, you may go to the infirmary now Mr. Malfoy, Professor Lacouse will assist you." He indicated to Lucius's boneless leg, Hermione surprised a laugh. He was really going to hate her tomorrow when he found the pain he was going to have to in dure from re-growing the bones in his left leg.  
  
Professor Lacouse nodded in acknowledgement, and helped Lucius to stand. By the look on her face she was going to tare Lucius's ear off once they got out of the room. Hermione was becoming very fond of that woman.  
  
Once they had left the room dumbledore returned his attention to Hermione. " That was a very noble thing you just did Miss Granger. Im sure that Lucius will be forever grateful to you."  
  
" I should have never have done that" she whispered, truly angry at herself for not realizing that she had the power to end Lucius's rain of terror before it even started.  
  
" I see that you have finally come to understand the power that you have to influence the world at this time Miss Granger" The twinkle in his eye had returned to its full glory.  
  
" I don't know what to do headmaster." She whispered, thankfully she was able to talk; the pain in her arm was subsiding.  
  
"Yes you do Miss Granger"  
  
She was about to say something when the power of a thunderbolt screamed through her, white hot pain reared through her entire body, she fell back out of her chair with a scream of agony on to the soft carpeted floor.  
  
That's when she heard it.  
  
.......come to me........  
  
The voice held no sound, no tone, no emotion; it was just a thought, almost a memory. It burned into her mind.  
  
She screamed louder.  
  
She was shaking; no she was being shaken. She could deftly feel the robe off of her left arm being ripped off of its seams. She felt the mark touch the cool air and its power increased causing her to go into a seizure of pain. Her mind went blank.  
  
Mercifully she fell into unconsciousness.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
" Miss Granger." A voice like ice growled at her. Hermione felt a deep sense of emptiness echoing in her.  
  
"What?" she screamed, turning around looking in all black covered directions?  
  
Whispers entered her head; she brought her hands up to her ears in an effort to silence them.  
  
"I see no difference!" another voice, the same voice but only farther way echoed.  
  
"Put your hand down you foolish girl!" It came again with more bit and power.  
  
"Little Miss Know it all" It screamed.  
  
Hermione flung herself to the ground, but there was no ground, she screamed for the need of silence.  
  
"Hermione" the voice called, harder then before.  
  
"Hermione" it called softer then she would have imagined, the voice was smooth as dark velvet.  
  
Hermione pulled her hands from her ears and looked around in the darkness, no light, only darkness. She wiped invisible tears from her eyes as she searched out the voice.  
  
There was a flash of forest green light, like a mist in the center was a dark hooded figure. She wanted to get closer but as she walked towards it the figure seemed to move away. She felt calm by just looking at it, it was whispering mumbled words that held importance but she just couldn't make it out.  
  
There was another flash and the figure crumpled to the floor, she tried to scream for its loss but was held back by fear of the dark pair of blood red eyes that she could see through the green mist, no longer a forest green but a deep violent acid color.  
  
.Come to me. It roared out to her like a boom of thunder, she turned and ran before the eyes could scream at her again.  
  
COME TO ME! It raged.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione awoke with a scream; she was covered in sweat. Her arm was numb from pain. She sat up from the soft couch that she found her self- lying on. A hand placed its self on her shoulder and held her down before she could sit fully upwards.  
  
"Miss Granger I believe that it would be wise to stay where you are." Came the voice of Albus Dumbledore. It sounded sad, that in its self was strange.  
  
She turned and met the old wizards blue eyed gaze.  
  
"Wha - What happened Dumbledore?" she whispered.  
  
He looked at her sadly. " It was a calling Miss Granger, every time the pain comes it is a call to you from him." She knew who him was.  
  
" How can I stop it?" She whispered.  
  
"Im afraid miss Granger that you cannot stop it, only Voldmort can do that." He looked at her with no emotion. " He won't stop till he gets what he wants, and the pain will kill you if he doesn't"  
  
Hermione let out a frightened sob, it had been so long since she had cried, but the tears were starting to break down her resolve. Dumbledore placed his arms around her as she broke down into frightened cries. She let loss her pain on the old wizard's robes soaking them to his aged skin.  
  
She slowly tired to compose herself. " Then that's it then, there's nothing that I can do."  
  
He nodded slowly. "Im sorry Hermione, you can however prevent him from gaining from you what he wants, no magic can create what you could give him."  
  
Hermione nodded through sodden red eyes. " I understand, how can I prevent him from doing what he wants."  
  
" You must fight it, you will feel the calling, you must resist it. Only you can, no one else can stop you from going to him once you start. He cannot come for you so it is you who must go to him."  
  
Tears fell silently down her face, she was going to die, and at least she could save the world from Voldmorts heir. She knew that if Voldmort created a child it would be worse then himself, the dark magic that Voldmort had embedded in himself would become part of the child from the moment of conception. It would be born with pure darkness.  
  
Pure Evil.  
  
A thought struck Hermione. " Dumbledore, when I was unconcious I heard Voldmort calling me, but there was another voice as well."  
  
Dumbledore looked for once in his life surprised. " Do you know who it was?"  
  
" I know the voice but I can place it" she whispered.  
  
A twinkle returned to the old man's face. " I do not know why you heard a second voice Hermione, but I think it would be wise if you went back to your dorm for the rest of the day, you are excused from classes today."  
  
Hermione was still crying. " Thank you sir" She got up and walked to the door.  
  
"Hermione" Dumbledore called.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You might want to repair your robe before you exit this room" He indicated to her left arm which the sleeve was ripped to show her brand.  
  
She tired to smile, pulling out her wand she whispered a quick mending charm and the robe looked as good as new.  
  
"Good girl, don't worry your arm wont bother you for the rest of the day" He tried to smile at her.  
  
It just wasn't fair, the poor girl wasn't even twenty and yet she held the weight of the world on her thin shoulders.  
  
"Thank you" she whipsered to him and walked out of the office her eyes once again full of tears.  
  
Once she had left, Dumbledore walked to his window and looked out over the blue cloud caressed sky.  
  
" You bastard" He whispered to the sky with a smile. " And to think, you always said that I was the one who meddled in peoples affairs." 


	17. New Revelations

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Severus Snape couldn't believe his eyes the next day when both Hermione Granger and a very sleep deprived Lucius Malfoy walked into charms class the next morning. At separate times of course, Snape had a feeling that nether one of them would speak civilly to each other ever again.  
  
Lucius had arrived before Hermione and took his normal seat to Snape right at the back of the class room. There were many stund Hufflepuffs that shared there class, that gaped openly at him as he took his seat. They too were sure that he was going to be expelled the day before, but there he was.  
  
"How is it that your sorry ass is still at Hogwarts Lucius?" Snape Chuckled.  
  
Lucius just looked at him palely. He had gotten little sleep the night before thanks to Hermione's bone removing charm; he had had to re-grow each and every bone in his left leg. The pain from this aloud him very little sleep.  
  
With a breath he mumbled very quickly. "GrangerSavedMe"  
  
Snape obviously understood his friend's ramblings but was surprised none the less, he wasn't even sure if his dog like hearing had heard correctly.  
  
"I'm sorry Lucius I seem to have heard you wrong could your repeat that." He smirked at the uncomfortable boy.  
  
Lucius glared at him. "I said that GRANGER SAVED MY ASS!" he snapped at Snape, almost loud enough for the people in front of them to hear.  
  
Snape was in shock. "I don't believe you."  
  
"Believe it" Mumbled Lucius.  
  
"Why? How?" Severus exclaimed.  
  
"I have no idea why but Dumbledore aloud her to pick my punishment. I can't believe she didn't have me expelled." Lucius sighed.  
  
"Neither can I."  
  
"Would you believe that she had Dumbledore give me three weeks detention?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Believe it." Lucius repeated himself.  
  
Severus stopped his questioning and sat back in his chair pondering his thoughts. Why had she saved him? She owed him nothing for sure, and he knew that she had told him no secrets. She told no one anything about herself; no one even knew what school she had gone to before she came here.  
  
Her attitude was completely unbelievable; she was always cold as granite except that there were a few lapses in her performance. Every once in a while she would get an incredibly sad look in her eyes.  
  
Almost as if she had nothing left to live for.  
  
A person like this would have never atracted him and Lucius to become friends with her. She held nothing that would have benefited either of them. She wasn't very pretty; her thick bushy hair was like a rats nest. Snape doubted that she could even get a comb thought it.  
  
She was ordinary; she seemed to have very little intelligence. She never raised her hand in class, never went out of her way to better her self. She had no drive.  
  
The only thing that was special about her was that she obviously held some importance to there lord.  
  
Voldmort had for some time been on the look out for a girl who came to the school under peculiar circumstances. Hermione fit the profile perfectly.  
  
Voldmort had commanded any of his initiated or soon to be initiated (Like Lucius and himself) to watch over her and find some way to bring her to him. He gave no reasons why but no one from there order ever asked for one.  
  
Soon they would bring her to him and earn there way into the circle of death eaters, the most prestigious group of men and some times woman. The most powerful wizards and witches in the world.  
  
And the two of them would become part of it.  
  
His thoughts were brought back to the class room as the charms doors opened once again. His eyes drifted to the entrance and his breath caught in his throat. He felt Lucius stiffen beside him.  
  
A woman not a girl walked through the doors. Her head held high and her stride confident. As if daring anyone to cross her path.  
  
The woman's eyes like deep oak with flecks of gold burned into the very souls of every one in the room. The held superiority and power. Life and fire.  
  
Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid that dangled down to her hips; green bands of fabric tide at the end completed the look.  
  
"Gods" He whispered, it was.  
  
It was Hermione Granger.  
  
She walked behind Lucius and Severus and took her seat to Snape's left, not even batting an eye that Lucius was there beside him.  
  
She nodded her morning greetings to Snape and didn't even cast a look in Lucius's direction. She merely started pulling out her books in identical replica of the way she had done it back in her own time.  
  
Some time last night a change had occurred in Hermione Granger. Something snapped deep inside of her.  
  
She had realized that almost three months ago the real Hermione Granger had died, she had aloud her to die. She let the fire and thirst for life in her be extinguished. Last night as she thought of Harry and Ron how they had died and she survived, they would have wanted her to continue her life, read her books, and thirst for her knowledge.  
  
They would have wanted her to live like herself, even with out them; her parents would have wanted the same. She would be letting them down if she continued on the way she was going.  
  
Voldmort may have condemn her but unknowingly he had given her a second chance at life one that would not be wasted, she would see to that. She would beat him; he would not take her like he had taken so many others.  
  
She would find a way to beat him once and for all, she knew the way into the future, the paths that these people around her would take.  
  
She would be damned if things turned out the way they did in her time.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later Severus Snape was sure that the real Hermione Granger had been abducted.  
  
There charms class had been amazing, or rather Hermione had been amazing. She didn't seem to care at all that Lucius was in the same room as her and cared even littler when some of the slytherin boys made comments about her being muggle born.  
  
What had truly amazed him however was the fact that she knew everything that Professor Dwiddle (there charms teacher) was teaching them, she knew the material inside and out and more then that.  
  
She had raised her hand, answered every question and out performed every student in the class room. Including him self.  
  
She was now walking in front of him her braid of hair swaying behind her as they traveled towards there next class..Potions. He doubted very much that there would be a repeat of last class's performance so he left her alone.  
  
Lucius was equally stunned at her as he walked beside Severus, every once and a while pointing at Hermione franticly and making confused looks at Severus. He eventually stopped when Severus said he looked cyclonic.  
  
They were almost at the entrance of the potions class when Lilly Evens and a bunch of the Gryffindors who shared the class room with Slytherins came around the corner. Lilly stopped and gasped in surprise when she saw Hermione.  
  
Snape and Lucius both noticed that Hermione's stride and the way she was walking changed immediately to an aggressive manner.  
  
Hermione was starting to seethe with rage at the sight of Lilly, never before had she let her rage get a hold of her but at this moment she couldn't care less if it did.  
  
She walked right up to Lilly and looked down at her (she was a good foot taller then the brown haired girl.) She was seething and any one around could feel the power that radiated from her.  
  
Who was this woman, thought Snape? This could be the girl that he had invited into his group only less then three months ago.  
  
"Good Morning Lily." Chimed Hermione in fake cheerfulness. Snape saw Lily shiver at her words.  
  
"Good Morning Hermione" Lily replied, not knowing what else to say, there was a guilty look on her face.  
  
"You know Lily something happened to me yesterday, do you know what that was?" She whispered, her tone that was once cheerful had now turned a mournful dead.  
  
"Not a clue" Replied Lily, clearly knowing what she was talking about.  
  
"Well let me tell you then." She snarled. "Could you imagine my surprise when I found that some one that I thought I could trust let slip a certain piece of information that could very well cost me my life?"  
  
Lily gulped.  
  
"Do you know who did that Lily?" Hermione continued.  
  
Lily remained still and was starting to get very frightened, she was shivering. "No Hermione I don't" she managed to croak.  
  
Hermione laughed, it was a piercing laugh. That rang out through the dungeon corridor.  
  
She stopped abruptly and put her face very close to Lily's.  
  
"Why Lily......you did." She snarled.  
  
Lily finally seemed to grow a back bone. A look of defiance and rage entered her eyes and slightly took Hermione a back.  
  
"Your right Slytherin I did!" She snapped.  
  
Hermione just smiled. "That's your reason? You told my entire house that I was muggle born, knowing that it might very well get me killed. Just because I'm a bloody Slytherin?!"  
  
Lily just nodded and glared at her. "I would do it again! In my opinion one less Slytherin the better."  
  
Hermione was studded, how could this be Lily Potter? The mother of one of her best friends? Hermione was really beginning to wonder if the house of Gryffendor was a really as noble as it was made out to be.  
  
From Lily's last comment there was a roar of protest from the Slytherins in the room, and a murmur of agreement from the Gryffindors.  
  
"You know lily I didn't think a fellow Muggle born witch would inflict the same kind of ridicule on another."  
  
Lily laughed. "Well you thought wrong, now why don't you Slither away with your friends.....Oops wait I forgot you don't have any!"  
  
That actually hurt, she did have friends just not here. No she didn't, well maybe Snape (that thought didn't cheer her up at all to be honest). She felt the pain welling up in her eyes again, and then it hit her. Her friends would always be her friends even though they weren't with her.  
  
Hermione took another step toward lily and brought her head down to hers.  
  
"That Lily Evans is where you're wrong, I have friends, real friends, nothing like the people you could ever hope to meet."  
  
There was an impending power in her voice. "If you ever think to cross me again I will show you why that bloody damned hat put me in this God Damned House!"  
  
Lily began to pull out her wand in a threatening manner. Hermione was about to dive for hers when Lily froze.  
  
"Put it away Evans." Came a familiar voice.  
  
She knew that voice but why would he help, he hated her. She looked to her right and left only to find her self flanked by Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. She did a double take when she saw Lucius. Why would he help her?  
  
She cast a confused look in Snape's direction; he just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed "How the hell should I know?"  
  
She smiled up at him and for once he smiled back. There was a twinge in the pit of her stomach; it felt like something was doing loop de loops inside of her. Gods what was wrong with her?  
  
She knew the feeling but thought herself disgusting for feeling it.  
  
She was brought back to the task at hand when there was a growl from behind her.  
  
"What is going on here?!" It was professor Lacouse. The masses of students parted like the red sea as walked over to the four students.  
  
They all just looked up at her, Lily had already returned her wand to her pocket, so there was no incriminating evidence that they had been about to fight in the hall ways. Which was thankful because Hermione doubted that Dumbledore would enjoy her presences in his office again.  
  
"Nothing Professor Lacouse" Chimed Lily, a little too happily.  
  
Lacouse glared at her and the rest of the Gryffindors. It was clear to Hermione that Lacouse like her son did not enjoy being in the company of them. Now the Hermione found her self on the other side of the line in the war between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins it was clear that she wasn't too fond of her old house as well.  
  
Lacouse walked to the entrance of the potions class room and opened the door. "Well what are you waiting for?" she snapped at the crowd. There was a rustle and a rush to enter the class room.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
It was clear after Potions class to Snape that Hermione Granger wasn't just holding back in charms but in potions and possibly every class they had to offer. He found himself wanting to listen to her answers when she gave them to Professor Lacouse. They were well versed and well though out, and most of all undoubtedly correct.  
  
She had to be easily one of the smartest minds he had ever seen and found it almost annoying that she could compete easily with his superior intelligence.  
  
Worst of all he was beginning to see why "Tom" wanted her. He almost found himself worrying about why he wanted her.  
  
When they left the class room, Lucius and Hermione still hadn't talked at all. In fact they still were sending rather vicious looks at one another. However Snape found that Hermione and him just couldn't shut themselves up when they began to talk.  
  
As they were walking out of there double potions lesion they were engaged in a rather heated conversation about the use of Gynslip wings and how they did or did not add positive results to nerve destroying capabilities of the "Flancasious Potion" are rather potent poison that when administered literally ripped the spinal cord from the recipients body.  
  
"Honestly Snape, Gynslip wings do nothing except reduce the potency of the potion! There added acid reacts as a neutralizer of the Basilisks Venom!" Shrieked Hermione as the were walking down for lunch in the Great hall.  
  
"See here Hermione! I beg to differ on that account; while the Gynslip wings might neutralize part of the Basilisk Venom they do not neutralize the most potent parts of it, leaving it stronger and more effective!" Contradicted Snape.  
  
They continued on in this vain as they entered the great hall, there conversation had almost gotten to the point of "Does to, Does Not!"  
  
Hermione sat on one side of Snape at the end of the table not wanting to expose her unguarded side to an unfriendly Slytherin. Lucius who had decided to ignore her completely sat on the other next to Jeremy Flint, Marcus Flint's father if Hermione's assumptions were correct.  
  
The food finally arrived and she dug in with a vengeance, while she was eating she pulled out a further study book on Advance transphiguration. She was really behind in her studying.  
  
Snape on the other had had barley touched his food he was too busy staring at Hermione in aww.  
  
"What a piece of work." Came the mumbled voice of Lucius Malfoy, who was clearly not ignoring Hermione as Snape had originally thought.  
  
He nodded. "You would have never known that she was a brain?" he whispered.  
  
Lucius nodded and regarded Hermione as she looked up a cross reference of a topic from another book.  
  
"Tell me Snape why have you decided to put up with her, as I remember you dislike Mud bloods as much as the next Slytherin." Growled Lucius.  
  
Snape tensed beside him, it had been a while since he had last thought of Hermione as a Muggle born child.  
  
It was true it was just an act that Severus Snape put up with Hermione Granger being a mud blood and Lucius was correct in his proclamation. Snape hated the impure blooded witches and wizards; he like the rest of the pure bloods did not believe them worthy of the titles. They were second class.  
  
"You know perfectly well that I do "Put Up with it" as you so delicately put it because it is my job and if I want to secure a place at "HIS" side I must do what I must do!" Snape snapped quietly so that Hermione wouldn't hear.  
  
Snape and Lucius sat in silence for a moment before Lucius spoke again. "So who do you think it was who attacked her a while ago?"  
  
Snape posed he had completely forgotten about the attack just before Halloween. Had it really been that long ago, as much as he hated to admit it he hadn't' given the attack much thought, he had only seen it as a way of gain Grangers trust.  
  
"I don't know, but it was a member of the order." He spoke in a hushed tone.  
  
"Why would they though, attack her, every one knows that we were the ones assigned to this task." Lucius protested.  
  
Snape just shrugged. "Probably trying to gain favor with "Him""  
  
Lucius was about to speak again when a boom from the head table interrupted them.  
  
" Today will be the beginning of the Dueling club competition, all sign ups must be finalized as tomorrow we will commence the first competition!" came Albus Dumbldores voice, echoing throughout the hall way.  
  
There was a cheer that rose up from the crowds of students through out the hall.  
  
"Oh bugger! I completely forgot" came a very distressed Hermione from the side of Snape.  
  
Snape glared at her. "You didn't forget out little bet now did you?"  
  
Hermione blushed slightly, she didn't know why but she did. "No ....Of Course not!" She began to ramble on about her preparations.  
  
Snape just Laughed, and then much to his amazement noticed something that he had never thought in his wildest dreams that he would ever have thought. God did she ever look beautiful when she was frustrated.  
  
"I'm going to enjoy this!" He hooted. Snapping at him self for thinking such thoughts. Well it wasn't so bad she could have been a muggle.  
  
"Oh Bugger." Hermione curse under her breath in frustration. 


	18. Ravenclaw's and Adversaries

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"  
  
A blood-curdling scream echoed through the hall of the Girls dormitory in the Slytherin house. Awaking almost all of the sleeping students with in except for the few who's snores had drowned out the sound.  
  
Hermione sat up on her bed, black sweat sheets entangled once again around her body; she strained to re gain her breath that had been exerted from the scream she had issued only moments ago. She clutched her hand to her chest in order to test that she was really here, not still imbedded in the land of nightmares. Then again this was a nightmare too.  
  
Reaching over to the black shaded lamp on the bed table beside her bed she lit it and watched as her gloomy dark ridden room came into focus. She looked over to her clock and noticed the numbers. 12:01. The start of a new day.  
  
For some reason that fact bothered her. She didn't know why.  
  
Her thoughts drifted back to the nightmare. It was so vivid, like a vision but not. Visions tell the future, her dream had told the past. She had seen her friends at first happy and alive, think of what the word would hold for them.  
  
Then the happiness drained out instead was re filled with a black pulpy darkness, death. There deaths. She had watched as Ronald and Harry both were slaughter like they were only two months.no time had no relevance, they were gone. Putting time to something gave it a chance to return. They wouldn't.  
  
The dream hadn't ended there, when all became black the figure, the voice that had taunted her returned.  
  
Calling her names, one's she had heard so often back home. Know-it-all! Beaver tooth (although that couldn't be said any longer thanks to the incident in her fourth year), bookworm. the list went on.  
  
Then there were others, things that only a few had said to her, not repetitive insults but others, spur of the moment. A phrase seemed to echo in her brain, one that she had forgotten so long ago.  
  
A snide comment made in her fourth year. " I SEE NO DIFFERENCE"  
  
She shivered, why did that plague her mind, that stupid comment made by that vile bastard. That greasy bat.  
  
She looked again at her clock and then noticed a few books scattered on the floor. Books on curses and counter curses jinx and charms.  
  
Her eyes flew wide as she remembered what she had been doing before she fell asleep and dreamed.  
  
" BUGGER!!!" She gasped in frustration. " I have that ruddy dueling competition today!"  
  
In a frustrated growl she threw her self back down on the bed and forced her self to sleep. God knows she would need it.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
" This years dueling competition will commence today and end on New Years eve!" Dumbledores unmagicly amplified voice rang out through the great hall. " For all Seventh years and Sixth years I urge you to review the rules once again to avoid any unnecessary illuminations from the competition."  
  
There was a murmur of agreement from the houses.  
  
" Now today you will all begin your first match. All those competing have been paired with their first adversary. You will meet out on the quidditch pitch after breakfast and the Dueling shall begin." Roared Professor Lacouse, who had stood up beside Dumbledore.  
  
Clapping his hands Dumbledore cried out. " Let the competition begin!"  
  
Hermione gave a groan in protest, she was suffering from sever sleep depravation, of all nights to have a fit in your sleep it just had to be yesterdays. There were large black bags under her eyes and her hair was in disarray. Giving her a very bumpy look.  
  
"Aww come now Granger, with luck you'll be eliminated in the first round and you wont have to face me so cheer up." Came the highly sarcastic and unbelievably annoying voice of Severus Snape as he took his seat to the left of her. Malfoy came next and sat to Snapes right, still avoiding Hermione from the day before.  
  
Not that she cared at all.  
  
"Oh don't worry Snape!" Hermione snapped at him. " I wouldn't dream of doing that and give up the satisfaction of knocking you on your ass infront of the whole school."  
  
Snape was shocked at her attitude this morning, obviously she didn't get enough sleep last night.  
  
He laughed at her. " I'd like to see you try Granger, I'd like to see you try."  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Around noon hour Hermione headed down to the main hall from her morning charms class with Narccissa in tow. Both had entered the competition, and both were highly skeptical of who they were going to have to face in there first match.  
  
"OH GOOD GOD!" Gasped Hermione as she stared at a large magically altered black board containing all the names of those competing in the tournament and whom they would be facing in today's match.  
  
"What's wrong Hermione?" asked a very confused looking Narccissa. Who had just come up behind her and was searching for her name on the board.  
  
Hermione checked the board again. There must be some mistake, she screamed internally. There just has to be.  
  
"Seriously Hermione Whats wrong." Narccissa asked again, flipping her blonde waist length hair over her shoulder.  
  
"Nothing-it's just." Hermione started but didn't finish as a third person joined them.  
  
Remus Lupin came out of no where to the left of Narccissa; he gave the blonde haired girl a shy smile and looked down at his feet.  
  
"Hello Narccissa." He stammered.  
  
Narccissa looked at him and gave him a happy goofy grin, one that Hermione had never seen on her reserved features.  
  
" Hello Remus" She chimed. It really surprised Hermione how comfortable she seemed around the boy. Narccissa usually avoided all contact with the opposite sex.  
  
"Hermione do you know Remus." She pointed out.  
  
Hermione gave Remus a small and honest smile. He was the only Gryffindor that treated her like a human being, possibly because she was the only Slytherin who treated him the same.  
  
" Yes Narccissa I know Remus, so. Remus I take it you're in the tournament?" She inquired.  
  
"Ya, I just found out who Im facing first." He said with a laugh.  
  
"Oh who?" She inquired with interest.  
  
"Severus Snape."  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped, oh god. Snape was going to kill him I know it she screamed to her self.  
  
Lupin turned to Narccissa. " So who are you going up against?"  
  
She checked the board again. " It seems Peter Pettigrue, not a bad match up if I do say so my self."  
  
" Yah Peter's not a bad one to face first."  
  
Hermione just cringed and tried to stop the ringing in her ears, something just didn't feel right. However she couldn't figure out what.  
  
"So Hermione are you going to tell us who you're going to have to fight?" Narccissa inquired, obviously annoyed that she hadn't offered that little piece of information.  
  
Hermione turned to both of them, a sickly feeling rising in the pit of her stomach. Of all people it just had to be him, no one else. Fate as it seemed hated her and every thing she did.  
  
She tapped her wand to the black board and in chalk white scroll letters it spelled out her adversary.  
  
SIRIUS BLACK.  
  
"Oh" Lupin and Narccissa said in unison, there was a hint of fright in both of their voices.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Sirius Black. Of all people it had to be Sirius Black, not James Potter, Remus Lupin, not even bloody Peter Pedigree. No it had to be Sirius Black. The one person who since the day she had entered this time less then three months ago, had made her life even more like hell with every encounter. The one who told every one that she was muggleborn. (Not that this bothered her anymore, people in Slytherin now knew that she could hex every one of them into oblivion if she wanted to, and the fact that she was flanked by Severus Snape dark wizard extrodanare helped a lot with that.)  
  
Gods how the powers upstairs loved to torment her.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
After their very brief conversation with Remus Lupin, Hermione and Narccissa walked along the halls towards the great hall where the competition was set to begin.  
  
After a few moments of walking down the cold stone pathways Hermione turned to Narccissa. " So how do you know Remus?"  
  
Narccissa stopped, obviously stunned at her question, then remembering that she was still new to the "school" and couldn't possibly know.  
  
"Remus Lupin is my best friend and has been since he first came here." She said with a clear and satisfactory tone, tossing once again her long blonde hair over her shoulder.  
  
Then for some reason Narccissa gained a far away look in her eyes. " Remus isn't like other boys or men for that matter, he doesn't care about heritage or money, houses or stature. He just cares about Whats in here." She tapped her chest.  
  
All of these things were exactly what Hermione remembered about Remus from the future. He had been a good man.  
  
"I can see that, he doesn't look at me like Im a Slytherin he just sees me as a person, not a "Mud Blood" just a person." Hermione added. " Your lucky to have him."  
  
Narccissa smiled. " I just wish other boys were like him." Her face paled a bit.  
  
Hermione caught it.  
  
" Your talking about Malfoy aren't you?" She inquired.  
  
Narccissa just got paler and nodded. This obviously wasn't a topic she enjoyed speaking about.  
  
"What is it with you and Malfoy, I remember you two coming into the Slytherin common room my first day here, and you always seem to be quick to avoid him?"  
  
Narccissa just looked even more uncomfortable. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and stood infront of Narccissa's.  
  
"Whats going on Narccissa?" she demanded in a soft tone.  
  
Narccissa just gave her a vacant look and then motioned to an empty class room on there left, she entered in and motioned Hermione to follow, once inside she closed the door and muttered a silencing spell.  
  
Then turning to Hermione she gave her a pleading look. "Hermione you can't tell any one, no one knows, not even Remus. Gods I don't even know why Im telling you this but I just have to tell someone."  
  
Hermione nodded in understanding. " I won't speak a word Narccissa."  
  
Narccissa nodded her thanks. Taking in a deep breath she began to speak. " Lucius Malfoys Family and mine are from two very old lines of Wizards and Witches who have all attended Hogwarts. Nearly all of them from both families have been in Slytherin, with me as an exception."  
  
She stopped and began to shake; she clearly didn't want to continue. "You don't have to go on if you don't want to Narccissa." Whispered Hermione.  
  
Narccissa just raised her blonde head and sniffed, taking in a deep breath she continued. " My mother and father were appalled when I entered RavenClaw, they called it a fault in the blood line." She nearly spat out the words. " To rectify this they sought out there good friends the Malfoys, who as you know have a son. Lucius."  
  
She began to loose the power in her voice and was starting to fight back sobs.  
  
"To rectify the fault in the blood line from my being a RavenClaw they betrothed Lucius and myself. Were going to be married. Just after Graduation. The reason I was such a wreck the day you first saw me was because I found out that I was never going to have control over my life, I was going to loose my freedom to Malfoy."  
  
At that Narccissa began to cry, sobbing like a wounded animal. She broke down in one of the chairs infront of one of the many desks in the classroom. Her sobs echoing out through the room.  
  
Hermione was stunned, at this moment in time her problems seemed so small. Walking over to the broken girl at the desk she gave her a hug and let her pour her tears onto her.  
  
Once again in her life Hermione felt helpless. After a few minutes Narccissa began to calm down, Hermione wondered in the girl had ever aloud her self-tears over this matter.  
  
" Im sorry Hermione, I shouldn't have" She whispered.  
  
Hermione felt her anger rise. " Shouldn't have what? Narccissa you have all the right in the world to cry!"  
  
Narccissa just looked up at Hermione, her blue eyes stained red with tears. " Thank you."  
  
Hermione gave her a real smile, the first one she had done in months since leaving her time. " We'll fix this Narccissa, I promise." The power in her voice left no room for argument.  
  
The blonde nodded once again and set about drying her tears as Hermione fiddled with her brain at how to save her new found friend. She had failed her first friends, she wasn't going to fail her new. 


	19. A monster unmasked

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
After Hermione had dried Narccissa's tears the two of them completed their journey to the great hall. Both of them after throwing open the large dark oak doors that allowed entrance to the hall gasped in surprise.  
  
The great hall had been transformed. No longer were there long washed house tables lined up before the great teachers table, but now there was a long platform covered in a silky marble black and blue cloth. It was longer then two of the house tables and just as wide.  
  
The dueling platform.  
  
Her thoughts traveled back to her second year at Hogwarts when the dueling club had been re - opened (for only one lesson only of course, due to the lack of competence of the defense against the dark arts professor). She laughed to herself as she remembered Professor Snape knocking Gilderoy Lockhart on his pretty boy tooshy.  
  
Narccissa gave her a weird look, and Hermione changed her look on her face. She had been giggling out loud and grinning like a person who belonged in St. Mungo's.  
  
The great teacher's table was still there but behind it was a large board emblazoned with the Four houses crests on each of the corners. There were scores and placements written in shinning silver lettering on the board along with the standing house points for each of the houses. Hermione almost smacked herself, of course there would be house points awarded to each of the battles.  
  
Narccissa gave Hermione a wish of good luck and ran off to join to group of Seventh year Ravenclaw's that had gathered before the head table. Leaving Hermione on her lonesome. She truly didn't want to join her "House" knowing she would not be welcome.  
  
She gave an exasperated sigh and moved off on her lonesome to a nearby corner, waiting for the competition to start.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Severus Snape walked into the great hall with a look of pure determination on his face, followed closely by Lucius Malfoy, who looked rather smug.  
  
A few of the other house participants gave Snape a frightened look, it was no secret that he knew more curses and jinxes then any one else in the school save the teachers. What was worse was that he was not afriad to use them and he could do them perfectly.  
  
Snape looked around the room, blowing a stray piece of black raven hair out of his face, he sneered. This was his element. This was what he had grown to know from his family. War, fighting, searching and gaining of knowledge, they ran through his veins like a second blood.  
  
Now he was searching. Searching for her.  
  
He turned to Lucius. " Where's Granger?"  
  
Lucius came out of his trance; he had been eyeing a pretty Hufflepuff girl, gaining furious looks from the other boys of her house.  
  
"How the hell should I know, I want nothing to do with her!" Lucius spat.  
  
Snape just chuckled. " Aren't we in a mood this afternoon"  
  
"I'm not!" Lucius mumbled like a spoiled baby.  
  
" Haha, your just pissed because you cant get over the fact that she saved your sorry ass." Snape prodded.  
  
Lucius just grew red like a balloon, it was true. For some reason the girl had saved him, true she had given him detention but still it was better then expulsion and the fate that accompanied such failure.  
  
" I just don't get it, why? Why did she do that? Would you? No didn't think so!" Lucius stammed confusedly.  
  
Snape himself was also confused by the girl's motives, removing Lucius would have protected herself from his harassment's, but she chose to save him. First this then the miraculous change over night to a fiery young woman who had more knowledge locked with in her then all the books in the Library. He should know he had read most of them.  
  
" Who know.." Mumbled Snape, searching for the very object of there conversation. " All I know is that we have to keep tabs on her, I would rather face expulsion then Tom."  
  
Lucius nodded in agreement. " As would I"  
  
The two were stopped from any further conversation when Dumbledores voice boomed across the hall.  
  
The Competition had begun.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
" I believe you are all clear on the rules?" Boomed Dumbledore, shaking the very foundation of the school.  
  
There was a mass of nodding heads from all different houses.  
  
Dumbledore clapped his hands. " Good, now out first competitors are!"  
  
Professor Lacouse stood up from her sitting position. " The first Competitors are. NARCCISSA ASCISK FORM RAVENCLAW HOUSE!" There was a mist of clapping. " AND PETER PETTIGRUE FROM GRYFFENDOR HOUSE!"  
  
Hermione watched as Narccissa moved up from her group of Ravenclaw's and walked onto the platform shakily. She caught Hermione's eyes and Hermione gave her a grin of encouragement. Soon after the blonde haired, slightly pudgy Peter Pettigrue walked onto the platform. Grinning.  
  
Something wasn't right. Turning to her left she noticed that Snape flanked by Lucius as always had positioned himself to her left. She scanned his dark features, his long nose, dark black eyes and raven shoulder length hair; he wore a worried look on his face. He to seemed to notice something amiss with the competitors. Without looking down at her he spoke.  
  
" This isn't going to be pretty."  
  
Deep inside Hermione knew he was right.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Narccissa took a deep breath, and walked toward the center of the dueling arena, Peter mimicked her actions. Once they were both in the middle they both saluted to the other. Out of the corner of her eye Narccissa noticed Remus looking up at her from the sidelines. He gave her a proud look and the thumbs up sign.  
  
Both Peter and her turned on their heels and began to walk their ten paces down the line. At the end they both quickly turned and took there dueling stances.  
  
Professor Lacouse boomed out. " Let the match begin."  
  
Narccissa was the first to react. Shouting out clearly. " Incendio" A long fiery blast shot fourth from her wand and headed speedily towards Peter. It looked like it was going to be a direct hit when out of no ware Peter ducked down onto his knees and rolled, the spell pasts harmlessly by.  
  
Everyone gasped as Peter reacted with lightning quick reflexes and screamed out. " LAMECHRA!" A Blinding electric blue shot out from his wand and sped down so fast towards Narccissa that she barely had time to blink. It hit her with the force of a cannon, cutting her, slicing her arms, breaking them, and causing her to fly back off the platform and into the cold stone hall walls.  
  
She fell to the ground in a bloody heap.  
  
There was a race of Med. witches to help the girl, but all of them were beaten in the race to get to the girl by a sandy haired Gryffindor. Remus Lupin screamed out Narccissa's name as she crumpled to the ground.  
  
Dumbledore stood and looked at Peter, who had a smile on his face, the boy had won, but had played a dirty curse on the poor Ravenclaw girl. It was his duty to announce it however displease he was. This was not becoming of a Gryffindor.  
  
He walked over to Peter and lifted his hand high into the air.  
  
" First Match Gryffindor!" He boomed. There was a halfhearted cheer, most in the crowd were stunned by the brutal end of a very quick match.  
  
Peter Just smiled and looked around like the victor he was. His eyes settled on one person in the crowd.  
  
Hermione Granger.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione took a step back trying to get her self as far away from Peter as possible, She shivered as he turned a glare at her; it was dark and cynical. She sqweremed, this was not the Peter Pettigrue that she remembered.  
  
Then something else hit her like a thunderbolt, it was so clear now, why hadn't she though of it before. His eyes. Peter's eyes, the man, the one who had tried to take her, hurt her during her first few weeks in this world.  
  
She panicked. In her desperation to move away from him she backed up into Snape. Knocking them both to the ground.  
  
Amazingly enough as she fell down on him, his long arms wrapped them selves around her to cushion her fall. They landed with a humph.  
  
" Gods Granger, what's wrong." Snape whispered in her ear, it sent shivers down her spine. She began to shake. Her eyes looked like a wild animal caught in headlights.  
  
People looked away from the body of a very unconscious Narccissa who was being assisted by the mediwitches on site to the crazed Slytherin on the floor.  
  
Hermione caught the eyes of Lucius Malfoy looking down at her with concern. Concern?  
  
" Hermione?" Snape whispered still holding on to her. It was safe in his arms she felt his heart-beating deep with in his breast. Steady and assuring.  
  
She looked down into his eyes; they were laced with concern. Why though? She could see her own through his, they were laced with fear.  
  
" Its him!" She whispered, only loud enough for Snape and now Lucius who was kneeling down beside them.  
  
" Who was him?" asked Lucius, looking plainly confused why he was hanging around her.  
  
She turned to Lucius, forgetting all that had happened with him in the last week, there friendship gone, now she looked at him, like he was the same boy who had befriended her and she could trust.  
  
" He was the one who attacked me." 


	20. Colors of Humanity

Hello all you faithful readers, thank you for putting up with my life and I apologize for the long times no chapters. Hopefully this long one will appease you until I can figure how to get the romance part up. There is more Snape in this chapter and in the next chapter leading up to new years eve (by the way that's when the tearjerker will be up) chapter. Sorry it has been taking so long to get to the deeper essence of the romance. But all good things come to those who wait.  
  
Special thanx to Kelly my beta tester who will soon be receiving my chapters to make it easier on all of you to read.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
If Snape had been expecting anything it wasn't this. Hermione accusation of Peter Pettigrue as her attacker just didn't make sense. The boy was a wreck, granted Snape had to admit that the boy had put on a rather impressive show, there was still now way that he could have attacked Hermione that night. Severus was there, the man was a death eater and one of Tom's followers, and Pettigrue wasn't one of them. He knew that, there was no possibility that Pettigrue one of Potter's lanky had become a death eater before him.  
  
The very thought made his rage boil.  
  
Hermione was now looking at him with pleading eyes; her honeyed brown one's boring into his thunderous black. Her entire face was a picture of fear, one that he had never though possible on any ones faces. There was more to this then what Hermione was letting on. He just knew it.  
  
He quickly pushed her off of him; standing up and brushing imaginary dust from his robes he grabbed her hand roughly and dragged her off the floor, out of the crowd and into the hallway.  
  
He could feel her tiny creamed skin wrist's shaking in his long powerful hands. There were two voices inside of him, giving him orders. One knew that he was hurting her with his iron grip telling him to let go, the other was telling him too never.  
  
He turned around and faced Hermione. She was white as the sheets in the infirmary.  
  
Dropping her wrist he began to speak. " Granger! What the hell is going on!"  
  
She just looked blankly at him, like he wasn't even there. He felt his anger welling up inside of him, grabbing her shoulders roughly he began to shake her.  
  
"Granger?" he yelled, she just continued to ignore him. He stopped only when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Snape Whats going on?" It was Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Snape just growled at him. " That's what I was trying to find out!" He looked as though he was going to start shaking her again, when Lucius wrapped his own strong hand around his wrists and pulled him away from Hermione, who just slumped to the floor. Shaking and looking blankly before her.  
  
Lucius kneeled down before her, Snape followed. Now recovering from his initial anger, he could see more clearly.  
  
She was in shock.  
  
He felt a great well of guilt well up inside of himself for treating her so roughly, some thing had scared her beyond comprehension.  
  
Lucius turned to Snape. " Looks like something scared her pretty bad.." He mumbled, trying to sound disgusted that he was worried about some stupid little "Mudblood", but failed miserably.  
  
Snape caught his attempt, letting a smile pass over his features; he two was forgetting his hatred for Muggle born wizards and witches. After all Hermione had proved in the class room that she was more then capable then half the pure blood witches and wizards in the school. He was caught now in the medium of the dilemma, to hate or not to hate.  
  
" Did you hear what she said?" Snape mumbled. " About Pettigrue?"  
  
" I don't believe it for one second, but something in there scared her petty bad." Growled Lucius, finally giving in to his resolve, no longer trying to hide his concern.  
  
Snape moved toward the tinny body of Hermione. Gathering her into his long arms and pulling her up into them. She continued to stare blankly and shake, her brown haired head slumped against Snapes powerful yet lithe chest.  
  
" Gods she's lost a lot of weight since the last time I had to pick her up." He whispered.  
  
Lucius just nodded, something was wrong with this girl. Both of them watched her open eyes. They were swirling madly like she was caught in a nightmare, screaming out to them.  
  
Little did they know that she was?  
  
"Common lets get her to infirmary. " murmured Snape. Marveling at a warm feeling that had begun in the pit of his stomach while hugging her body close.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Twenty minutes later something very weird in Snape's opinion happened. As he brought her to the infirmary, Lucius close in tow; Albus Dumbledore caught up with them. Taking one look at Hermione he directed that she be brought to his office.  
  
After laying Hermione down on one of the soft brown leather couches in his office, Dumbledore directed that they were to leave no word of comfort or whether or not she would be ok. Just to leave. There was no twinkle in his eye.  
  
Something was going on, and He intended to find out what.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
The minute she had let out the source of her attacker, something very strange happened to Hermione. A powerful force seemed to draw herself back inside of herself. Locking her mind inside of a shell with windows. She was able to see the word around her, and the world behind her. However she could not interact with it.  
  
She was locked in a dark room, with only little holes to peak through to the outside. There were no real walls just shadows.  
  
Then there were the screams. Screams, of people that she knew, like in her dreams there was one voice that stood out from the screams, dark and cool. Comforting yet sharp as a blade. Taunting her, criticizing her.  
  
" STOP BEING SUCH A KNOW - IT - All!" It roared, like a teacher commanding an unruly classroom.  
  
" PUT YOUR HAND DOWN YOU SILLY GIRL!" It breathed out like acid vapor.  
  
" I SEE NO DIFFERENCE!"  
  
The room began to spin. The shouting grew louder, rougher, stronger! In her desperation she gripped her head with her hands and crumpled to the non- existent floor.  
  
" STOP IT" She screamed! Over and over again, her voice growing raw from the shouting.  
  
Suddenly it did.  
  
Hermione looked up from her now cradling position. The room was quiet. Her mind was quiet. Rubbing her hands over her face she felt tears, she had been crying?  
  
" Why me?" She whispered, only out loud to her self.  
  
The room was silent for once, no words were offered.  
  
" Am I going crazy? Is this all a nightmare?" She was beginning to wonder if anything was real, was she really a witch, did she really know the people she did. Or was it a lie, a lie her mind had made up to keep her from the outside world, if so why was everything so painful?  
  
" Fight!"  
  
Hermione looked around the voice had returned, no long criticizing her, but commanding. She shivered from the silkiness of it, the dark coolness. IT was like a calming drug.  
  
" There's nothing left to fight for." she whispered, tears beginning to fall again.  
  
All that could be heard now was the voice breathing, seething.  
  
" Lies, you tell your self lies.." The voice spat at her.  
  
"No!" Hermione screamed.  
  
"YES!" I retorted. " You do because you have not the courage to find the power that you hold in your hand!"  
  
" I don't know what to do!" she sobbed openly. Tears falling like never before, she sobbed like a child who had just lost its mother, which in truth was fact.  
  
The voice again was silent. Her crying slowed at the piece and the silence.  
  
  
  
The it happened, a faint glow, blue light, peaceful and moving began to move in the shadows. Moving closer to her self. The light began to thicken, and swirl. From the blue color sped green, then from the green sped red, and the red to yellow. Surrounding her in a comforting circle of light. Balls of light began to zoom over head, quickly then softly.  
  
The through the light spun shapes. Tall and short, thin and fat, old and young.  
  
" Oh gods" she whispered as she recognized the shape forms.  
  
They were human beings.  
  
People she knew. People she hated. People she loved.  
  
The colors began to move in a circle each to there own area. Red, Green, Blue, Yellow.  
  
The faces from each area of color became more defined. First the yellow, Children she grew up with, some older. The faces of Anna Habbot, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, the seeker Cerdric Diggory. All dead but they were hear. Soon more .people formed from the color yellow.  
  
Then it dawned; they were all Hufflepuff's!  
  
Soon blue followed, friends long gone, faces she hadn't seen in almost four months, some longer. Then a face appeared amongst the bodies of blue.  
  
Narccissa? But she wasn't dead. Then something happened, an older Narccissa appeared, battered and bruised beside her, draping her arm over the younger.  
  
Why? They weren't dead, not even in the future.  
  
Next followed the red. Hermione held her breath. She knew what was coming.  
  
Out of the mist walked hand in hands, walked Harry Potter, Ronald Weasly, Ginny, Percy, Fred and George Weasly, their parents, and two older brothers Bill and Charlie. Next out of the mist came Professor Magonigal, Neville Longbottom, Parvati and Lavender. Oliver wood, Katie Bell, Angelina, Lee Jordan.  
  
Then for some reason, Lily Evan's, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin arrived, arm in arm. All younger, the ones she knew now. Young and full of life.  
  
Then came the older, Remus, broken and worn out. Sirius, mangled and bruised.. Lily and James did not follow.  
  
They were never aloud to grow old.  
  
Her Family of Griffendor.. She wanted to run and hug them all but she was frozen to the spot. Fearing if she moved she would startle them and they would disappear.  
  
They smiled at her and the color red seemed to grow brighter. Tears of sadness and happiness stained down her face.  
  
Then came the green...  
  
She gasped at what she saw, there were beaten faces of a broken house. Now her house. Poking through the mist, like lost lambs in a slaughterhouse.  
  
She didn't know what to expect.  
  
Slowly one figure broke away from the mist. A tall broad shouldered, blond haired boy.  
  
Lucius Malfoy.  
  
He gave her a smirk, cocky yet unsure. Yet still some one who she had cared for at one point in time, he had been her friend. Now no more.  
  
She gasped as his older self came through.  
  
He glared down at her, his long blond hair seemed to move with an invisible wind. The coldness of his eyes were nothing like the life full ones of his past. The looked at her, like she was a bug. One that would be exterminated.  
  
This was a man who had caused the death of thousands. Rapped hundreds of girls, her age, older and younger. He was a man who had helped kill her parents!  
  
She wanted to kill him.  
  
Slowly he moved away to join he younger self who seemed to be pleading with her. For what she didn't know.  
  
Next came other Slytherin's. There older selves, they're younger. Some only the younger. Ones that had died resisting the powers of dark and chose to die for the light. These were smiling.  
  
Slowly the mist grew brighter as the last of the of the Slytherin's came through. She had no doubt of whom it was.  
  
Severus Snape.  
  
He strode forth with the same cat like walk that he always used. His younger self, the one she had befriended. His dark eyes traveling the length of her. Resting on her eyes. His raven black hair fanned out like wind with color. He stood taller then all the other Slytherin's, His lean frame was like a predator. Strong but thin. He held his traditional scowl. One that she hadn't seen since before she came here. The younger one had not yet mastered it in real life. Why had this one?  
  
He moved off to the side and she braced her self for what she would see next.  
  
He came through, much like the first. Except that he walked right up to her. So close that she could see the fan of gray beginning in his ink black hair. She could see the light brushing of facial hair that he droned, having not shaven in a few days. Just like she remembered him. He held himself proud. Like his younger self. Except his shoulders seemed to bare more weight.  
  
She could see the scars on his well-defined face, long and grueling. His eyes glared into hers and hers into his. Just like she remembered, just like the last night she saw him..Alive.  
  
HE continued to watch her as a white light framed out behind him.  
  
Something else moved through that light. Severus gave her a nod and moved out of her line of view. They're standing in the white light.  
  
Were her parents.  
  
Just like she remembered them, Her father had short sandy brown hair and a light beard, her mother had her trade mark rats nest, only slightly more managed.  
  
She ran towards them, but they only got farther away.  
  
"You see.... there is something left to fight for.." Snape said softly, softer then anything he had ever spoken to her in her entire life, from the side of her. He was no longer warring a robe but only slightly baggy dress pants, he was bare cheasted. It looked like the chest she had held onto the night on Halloween had felt.  
  
Except it was older and beaten, scared and broken. She turned to get a better look and noticed a dark patch on his arm.  
  
The dark Mark. Snape nodded to her. She lifted up the hem of her sleeve on the arm, which bore her own mark. It was black and angry just like his own.  
  
" I see no difference.." she whispered, the phrase that had been yelled at her countless times, and plagued her the day Malfoy had enlarged her teeth. Said by..... Snape?  
  
"You're the one? The second voice.?" She whispered.  
  
The lights grew brighter and began to swirl again. The people's faces began to meddle together. Hermione screamed for it to stop. It only moved faster.  
  
She turned to Snape who glared at her.  
  
" Look inside your self!" He growled. " You are more! Then what you have become!"  
  
Then he to fell into the spinning light.  
  
The screaming began once again.  
  
This time however, Hermione didn't hear it.  
  
" I will fight!" she growled.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione awoke once again in the office of Albus dumbledore.  
  
" I will fight!" she screamed not releasing where she was.  
  
"We'll then perhaps you should get down to the great hall or you're going to be late for you match." Came the voice of Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Hermione shot up and looked once again into the aged eyes, they were looking at her with a confident sense of humor.  
  
" How long have I been here for?"  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. " Well you were brought here after the first match, which was on November 15th and it is now.." He glanced at his very complicated clock with more nods and dials then a switchboard. " November 27th it would appear."  
  
Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. " Ive been on this couch for 13 days?!!" she yelled in horror.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled at her. " Please keep your voice down Miss Granger, Im not hard of hearing, and I can assure you that I do know how to " do the math".  
  
Hermione laughed.  
  
Dumbledore turned serious. " Do you have anything that you wish to discus with me?"  
  
Hermione was going to tell him every thing, but something inside her told her that she best keep it to her self.  
  
" Yes I have to fight." She whispered.  
  
Albus's eyes twinkled.  
  
"Then I suggest you get going or you will be disqualified from the match down in the great hall. I believe you are facing Mr. Black. Good Luck Hermione."  
  
"Thank you professor" she smiled. Feeling something she hadn't felt truly in over four months. Determination to win, to be the best. Time to show every one what you're made of Hermione.  
  
She got up and walked to wards the door.  
  
" Oh and Miss Granger?" Chimed Albus from behind.  
  
She turned. " Yes Headmaster?"  
  
" Please tell Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Snape to stop trying to break into my office, I don't know how many time I caught them trying to sneak into here to see you over the last few days."  
  
Hermione's jawed dropped.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione raced through the doors of the great hall. Every one was there from before, including a very bruised looking Narccissa who smiled at her, next to her was and equally bruised Remus Lupin. Giving her a toothy grin.  
  
Looks like Snape won that match.  
  
Speaking of Snape and Malfoy where are they. Hermione could still not get over the fact that both of them had tried to " Break into" Dumbledores office to see her. Malfoy especially, he hated her. She was Muggle born after all and he was a Malfoy.  
  
" Well, Well I was beginning to think that you had chickened out Granger!" Came the snarky voice of none other then Sirius Black.  
  
She turned to face him.  
  
" What and Miss out on the chance to wipe the floor with your poor excuse for a face?" she snapped.  
  
Sirius chuckled. "you know Granger, I would have thought better of you, faking illness just to get out of a match you know you can't win."  
  
" I just thought you might like some extra practice time before I get a chance with you, after all I don't want to win to easily Black." She spat.  
  
Sirius took a step towards her menacingly, pulling out his wand. " I'll make you regret that comment Bitch."  
  
" And I'll take that piece of wood and stick it up your ass Black if you take one more step towards her!"  
  
Hermione looked behind her to see a face she would have never expected to see. " Malfoy?" she whispered.  
  
Lucius didn't even look at her, he was to focus on Black. " Just get in the ring Granger and kick this poor excuse for a wizards ass."  
  
Hermione just nodded and walked towards the ring. Dazed that Malfoy had come to her rescue.  
  
Sirius growled and followed her onto the long platform.  
  
" You really are developing a soft spot for that Mudblood aren't you Lucius." Came Snapes voice from beside him.  
  
Eyes still following Black Lucius responded. " No more then you are Snape. No more then you."  
  
" This is going to be interesting." Smiled Snape. 


	21. Prejudice gone

Hi! I finally got a new update, sorry it took me so long, and I haven't had a chance over the holidays! Hope you all have had a great Christmas and a happy New Year  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione watched as all the eyes in the room were on her. She felt a pain of nervousness surge through her as she watched a very cocky looking Sirius Black take his position on the stage.  
  
She briefly scanned the crowd and sought out faces she knew.  
  
Remus and a very battered looking Narccissa were looking up at her giving her nods of good luck.  
  
To there left a very sour faced Lily Evan's was glaring at her. Tossing her muggy brown locks over her shoulder she gave a look to Sirius and whispered something to her. Hermione noticed from her lip movements that she had mounthed. " Mop the floor with her." Or something around those lines.  
  
Anger surged through her body, how she wished that that little tramp were in the ring with her instead of the tall and ruggedly handsome ass hole before her.  
  
Continuing on her hunt she spotted to two faces she wished the most to wish her approving glances.  
  
Severus Snape and all though she hated him. Lucius Malfoy.  
  
They were both surveying the two competitors with little enthusiasm. Mostly their eyes were focused on Black. It was as if they all ready knew the outcome of the battle. She would bet anything that they thought that Black was going to win that he would beat her.  
  
The thought of that was just what she needed to breed an unquenchable determination inside of her.  
  
Quickly changing her defensive stance she assumed a more aggressive one. One that aloud the magic inside of her to ripple and bleed. Her eyes were like two thunderclouds ready to release there furry on her victim. Black, Black was her victim.  
  
So intent on Black was she that she didn't notice the two approving glances that were issued her way, by the two green robed boys.  
  
" Competitors take your positions!" Roared out Professor Lacouse.  
  
Bother Hermione and Black walked to the middle of the podium. Glaring fiercely at one another. Black brushed a black lock of hair from his face, giving her a sneer.  
  
In return Hermione just smiled.  
  
" Bow and take ten paces then begin!" Lacouse snapped loud enough for the whole hall to hear.  
  
Following her commands, Hermione gave Black a quick bow, not wanting to expose the back of her neck to him, her eyes never leaving his. Turning quickly she took her ten steps as did Black.  
  
However before she could take her eighth Black ran his last two steps and turned on her.  
  
Pulling his wand he bellowed. "BURENCHA!" Hermione spun on her heels as the curse was issued. A bright puke white light broke free from Black's wand.  
  
A paralyzing curse! Moving towards her at lightning speed.  
  
Without thinking Hermione ducked to the left, almost rolling off the stage. A gasp of surprise issued from the crowd, and a clap of approval.  
  
Grabbing her wand she tried to lift her self up. Only to find that her right wand arm was numb. The basterd had got her! No longer did she have the use of her wand arm. Roaring internally, she hoisted her self up quickly with her left before Black could issue another curse. Pulling her wand from her numb fingers she switched it to her left hand. Already at a disadvantage she ran towards him.  
  
Just as Black began mouthing another curse.  
  
She knew she had little time to finish this. Black's wand began to glow a dangerous black with green sparks. She knew from the sparks that this was his choice of a finishing curse. It was "Perpanixa" very harmful comas jinx that could render the victim insane. One of the few truly harmful curses that were aloud in the competition.  
  
Worst there was now defensive charm against the curse.  
  
The crowd stated to cheer, realizing that the battle had been as good as won.  
  
She had to act now.  
  
Lifting her wand above her head she roared with all her might, allowing all her power to feed into her wand.  
  
" Soranus Deflemente!"  
  
A hush came over the crowd as a blue light, like pale ice mixed with quick silver began to feed from her wand and shoot towards Hermione's adversary.  
  
Blacks curse was finished and was making its way towards Hermione.  
  
The two met with a colossal boom in the middle of the stage. Sending waves of heated magic wind across the hall. Every soul in the hall watched as the two spells battled out for supremacy.  
  
Keeping her focus on the magic before her Hermione felt for the magic, trying with all her might to add more to the spell. She couldn't let Black beat her; she would never let any one beat her.  
  
NEVER!  
  
Suddenly the molten blue spell that Hermione cast grew and expanded; its liquid like form engulfed Blacks spell and shot forward towards Black. With a sickening crunch the spell hit him in the chest.  
  
He barley had time to scream, the spell began to move around him, frost and silver covering his long body head to toe. He opened his mouth to scream but the quick silver from the spell flew down his mouth and silenced him.  
  
His body could no longer move, frost and icicles covered his now still form. Although he appeared to be dead, frozen solid, his eyes still blinked and moved. A light red light over his heart showed that he was indeed alive.  
  
Hermione panted, breath was escaping her body. A deadly hush crept over the crowd not a single sound was issued. Standing up straight, Hermione took one last look at the frozen Sirius Black before her, offering him a small but mighty smile, before bowing. Showing that the match was over.  
  
Sirius just stood there literally locked in a block of ice.  
  
Suddenly a sound issued from the crowd. The sound of a pair of hands clapping. Hermione looked around for the source of the sound. She located it, just as another picked up the motion.  
  
Pride swelled up inside of her. Both Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy were giving her recognition. The rest of the houses were watching her until in silence.  
  
Suddenly another pair of hands began to clap. Belonging to Blair Zabini. As if starting a tidal wave of approval, the whole house of Slytherin began clapping. Like a roaring dragon hoots of approval and recognition surged through her new house. The house those only moments ago hated her.  
  
It was as if they were seeing her as a human being for the first time.  
  
Soon Remus Lupin and Narccissa began clapping as the initial shock wore off. No one in the hall had thought that Hermione Granger could do what she had just done. No one thought she had the knowledge, the power or the guts. In truth neither did Hermione.  
  
Soon Most of the people with the exception of Lily Evan's (who was shooting fiery glances at James Potter who was clapping for Hermione and Hermione herself), Sirius Black and a very stunned and rather worried looking Peter Pettigrue.  
  
" May I Present the Winner of Today's Dueling Competition. Hermione Granger member of Slytherin House!" Boomed out Professor Dumbledore, who was now standing by Hermione.  
  
He looked down at her fondly. " Well done Hermione." He whispered to her, before motioning for Sirius Black to be removed to the infirmary.  
  
Hermione couldn't help but smile as Madam Pomfry conjured a trolley and wheeled a very frozen Sirius Black up to the infirmary.  
  
" Thank you Headmaster." She whispered.  
  
Dumbledore beamed. Looking over the crowd of cheering people he noticed both Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy smirking at her.  
  
" I think your friends wish to speak with you" he smiled a little stronger down at Lucius.  
  
Hermione could help but smile at the thought of what Dumbledore had just said.  
  
Stepping down of the stage she walked over to the two Slytherin's who were smiling broadly at her. Lucius more then Snape, but the very fact that Snape was smiling sent shivers down her spin. He was smiling because of her.  
  
Why did it affect her so?  
  
" Didn't think you could do it Granger" Smirked Snape, his powerful smooth voice trickling into her ears.  
  
She just smiled and punched him playfully in the arm. Still however un able to shake the feeling of warmth that she had gained just from being around him. Giving him a big grin as he looked taken aback by the fact that she would resort to physical contact.  
  
" Be careful Snape or I might just hex that smart mouth of yours closed" She giggled up at him, wishing that she were a little taller so that she could look him in the eyes with out having to look up.  
  
Snape scowled and then did something that no one even Dumbledore would have thought him capable.  
  
He opened his arms and grabbed her. Pulling her to him in a tight warm hug. Mashing her much smaller body to his tall lithe one. Gods it felt so right to her. She fit in his arms perfectly.  
  
Hermione just smiled as she felt the warmth of his body. Bringing her arms around him she returned the hug.  
  
"Um .Granger?" came a very shy sounding voice.  
  
Hermione froze. Turning in Snapes warm and oddly comforting embrace she looked into the pale ice blue eyes of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Pulling away from Snape she lifted her head high, and braced herself for an onslaught of insults.  
  
"Yes Malfoy?"  
  
Lucius looked a little sheepish and blushed slightly.  
  
" I was wrong.." He whispered.  
  
Hermione thought that she was going to faint.  
  
" Just because you're a Muggle born doesn't make you any less of a witch .Hermione. Im sorry." He mumbled looking down at his feet.  
  
Hermione couldn't believe it, her chest contracted and she found it hard to breathe. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She looked at the boy who had just done the hardest thing in his life, and felt her heart break.  
  
Walking up to Lucius she hit him full force with a bear hug. She was able to speak into his ear because he was closer to her height then Snape was.  
  
" I forgive you, you scumbag!" She whispered, hugging him harder. He finally returned it.  
  
Pulling away from the two Slytherin's she couldn't help but smile at the fact that it no longer bothered her that she belonged to the same house as the two would be death eaters, or the fact that she had once been a Griffendor. What surprised her however was the fact that she didn't hold any guilt from finding new people, after all Harry and Ron would have wanted her to be happy.  
  
" Common Lets get out of here Im getting a head ach from all the noise." She chimed.  
  
The two boys nodded.  
  
Taking Snape and Lucius's hands (although Snape had to hold her arm up because it was still paralyzed) she walked away from the crowd in the great hall out into the rest of Hogwarts. Realizing that for the first time she thought of both Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy, regardless of what the future held for them as.  
  
Friends. 


	22. The first snowfall

SORRY IF THIS CHAPTER IS A BIT OUT OF THE BLUE, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS I NEED TO SET UP BEFORE THE FIREWORKS START TO HAPPEN, KEEP YOUR EYES OUT FOR THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS, THERE GOING TO BE BIG (NOT IN A ROMANTIC WAY, JUST YET BUT YOU'LL SEE WHAT IM GETTING AT, IN THE END.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
It was the first day of December at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry, on a bright and cold Saturday morning. The school seemed to take on a new face. The sent of pine and garlen floated through the cold stone hall ways up to greet the noses of those students whom had finally come awake.  
  
Every one in the vaccinate of the school grounds could feel it in there bones and in there souls.  
  
Christmas was here!  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione Granger gave out a long over exaggerated yawn, stretching her arms as she squinted her eyes at the bright winter sunshine that invaded her rooms. She gave the world a smile as she threw away her bed covers and stood out of bed warring her checkered flannel boxer shorts and a fitting gray strap top. Her feet flinched as they touched the cold stone floor of the Castle.  
  
Jumping back on the bed to escape the cold she pulled out her wand and grabbed a pencil off of her nightstand. With a quick charm she transfigured the pencil into a pair of fluffy black sheep wool slippers. Placing them on her feet, she turned to check her clock.  
  
" Hmmm.. 6:30.. Oh well not to bad for a Saturday." She mussed.  
  
Getting of her bed, more successfully then before she walked into the bath room to the left of her bed and looked into the mirror, for the first time since her mark had burned. She mussed for a moment that it hadn't called her in almost three weeks since before the dueling tournament had begun.  
  
She gasped at what she saw. No longer was there a girl standing in front of her, but a woman. Gone was the last of her chubby cheeks or frayed hair. Now her face was thinner, and more defined showing a strong but not over exaggerated jaw line, her hair was now more curly then frayed, and instead of a sun bleached cross with a muggy brow it was a dark solid oak color.  
  
Smiling at this she began to clear her self up, teeth and bathing, all the essentials for the morning.  
  
Grabbing her dark emerald green house coat she threw it over her self after her cleaning and headed down to the Slytherin common room.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Opening the portrait into the Slytherin Common room, Hermione held her breath. Although yesterday she had gained the approval of the whole house she still wasn't sure if it was safe to travel through the house alone. After all, people change on a day to day basis. Would they forget that yesterday she had proven to be just as competent with magic as the purest of pureblooded wizards?  
  
Looking out into the common room she was surprised to see that no one was there. Probably still asleep she thought to her self. Stepping out of the portrait hole she glanced around and walked towards the fireplace, that apron her approach burst into a merry flame.  
  
Standing in front of it she looked at the mantel, there were candles and ornaments like every other house, and a portrait of its founder was hanging above it.  
  
The portrait of Salazar Slytherin sneered down at her, making her feel pathetic and small. Much like...Snape had done when she was his student.  
  
To think that this whole thing could have been stopped, Tom Riddle would have never become Voldmort, had it not been for this man. This cruel looking, brilliant minded man with more prejudices then even the most fascist man.  
  
Had he planed this, had he know what his great great.grand child would do to the world? The paintings eyes droned into her own, looking away so that the disgusting thing couldn't read her mind she noticed that on the floor by the fire place was a long piece of Charcoal, rich and black from the heated flame before it.  
  
Making sure that the room was empty she bent down and picked up the long stick of condensed ash, rolling in her hand she walked over to one of the many desks in the room and pulled a piece of parchment from it.  
  
Walking back to the fire she placed the piece of parchment on the ground, wrapping her green house robe around her she sat before it.  
  
And began to draw.  
  
At first the lines held no shape or form, she just watched as her hand flowed across the paper. Not caring what was formed on the parchment.  
  
After a few moments she looked at it.  
  
On the parchment etched in ash were the Gryffindor Lion and the Slytherin Snake. The Snake had its body wrapped around the lion's and the lion had the Snakes gripped in a vice between its paws.  
  
A dead lock.  
  
" Very twisted representation of a very twisted feud Granger." Came a familiar deep voice.  
  
She turned and locked eyes with a very tossed and semi- un awake Severus Snape.  
  
She smirked up at him. " What can I say, I must be a very twisted person."  
  
Snape just raised his bushy eyebrows at her, and looked back at the picture. While he was looking at it Hermione could help but notice that one of the things that was different from this Snape and the Snape in the future was that this one didn't have a crooked nose. It was still long and hooked like a bird of prey, but it wasn't gnarled in the middle like it had been or would be.  
  
The incident that involved that must not have happened yet..  
  
Snape looked up suddenly and saw her studding him, she raised her eye brows at him and tried to fight back a blush looking away to try and find some excuse to get away from this.  
  
Snape was about to say something when Hermione gasped and jumped up from where she was sitting.  
  
"Oh My God!" she yelled.  
  
Snape jumped to his feet expecting something to fling its self at them.  
  
"WHAT?" he asked in alarm.  
  
Hermione walked slowly over to one of the large glass windows in the common room and looked out onto the grounds. Snape followed.  
  
"Whats wrong Granger?" Snape inquired.  
  
Hermione turned to him, her eyes shone with what appeared to be tears, she was fighting with all of her might to hold them back.  
  
" It's the first snow fall of the year." she whispered. Turning back to the window and watched.  
  
Snape looked out onto the grounds and saw thousands of tiny, unique snowflakes floating softly towards the earth. The sky had turned a peaceful gray color and the green of the grass was slowly being covered.  
  
His attention turned back to Hermione, She seemed to be holding back tears, now that he was closer her could see that her eyes were becoming a slight pinkish color around the whites.  
  
For some sardonic reason he actually cared why.  
  
"Whats wrong Granger?" He whispered in her ear.  
  
Hermione just stared on. Two things were going through her mind at once. One was the night that she lost everything that had ever mattered to her. It had been snowing.. She didn't know why but it bothered her that it was now. She was almost afraid that everything now would be lost to her same as before.  
  
The second was that every year since she could remember in her time at Hogwarts she had always gone down onto the Hogwarts grounds to watch the first snow fall with Harry and Ron, they had truly been the best of friends.Yesterday she had told her self that it didn't bother her that she had made new friends in truth it didn't, what did matter to her was the fact that she loved the old more than anything in the world.  
  
She couldn't break tradition.  
  
Turning to Snape she watched his features contort with confusion. With out thinking she grabbed one of his spidery long hands and ran, dragging his disgruntled morning form with her. Out of the common room, down the cold winding corridors, and to the entrance hall. Toughing open the two great oak doors she dragged him out into the outside world.  
  
Letting go of his hand she walked down the long steps onto the grounds. Marveling at the feeling of freedom of the snowflakes as then fell into her hair, and onto her house robe.  
  
Snape watched in aww as the strange girl spun around with her eyes closed, tears streaming down her face. For once in his life he truly did not know what to do. Here before him was a person who had no prejudices, no hatred towards other houses, or people.  
  
She was so different from every other creature he had ever come across.  
  
He could see why he wanted her.  
  
"Snape?" Hermione called, finally coming out of her daze.  
  
" What do you want Granger?" came his short reply.  
  
Hermione gave him a searching look and then just shrugged her shoulders. " Nothing I just wanted to know if you wanted to come watch the snow with me."  
  
"I can see if just fine where I'm Granger" he snapped, not liking the fact that he was out side in his pajama's.  
  
She gave him a smile and he felt his insides twist with some unfamiliar feeling. " Not afraid of a little cold are you?"  
  
He hated that, how she challenged him, baited him, played with his mind. She knew how it affected him and played it to the full.  
  
" No Im not Granger I just don't enjoy freezing my toes in the snow until they become a rather interesting shade of purple." He said looking down at his bare long feet.  
  
" Are you not a Wizard Snape?" she said turning to face him, the wind blowing her house robe back, like a cape.  
  
Snape glared at her. " Yes I'm but I don't see where you're taking this!"  
  
" You do have magic do you not, make your self a pair of slippers or shoes." She chided.  
  
" I detest foolish wand waving!" He spat.  
  
Hermione just about fell on her bum, reality check! This really was SNAPE! She could see his future self in him; he had said something very similar to those years ago when she had first come to his potion class. I was amazing how things came back to bite you in the bum.  
  
So this was Snape....  
  
During her daze into her memories she failed to notice that the dark figure of Severus Snape descended from the entrance stairs to where she stood foot deep in new power soft snow, to her side looking on over the heavenly looking grounds of Hogwarts.  
  
She noticed his presents beside her from the wisps of his breath as it hit the cool morning air and formed a vapor.  
  
She looked up at her "friend" his pale face was gaurded by a light wave of long raven feathered hair, she could faintly make out his rich coal black eyes. His attention was fully focused so she thought on the scene before them.  
  
All the magic of Hogwarts was nothing compared to what they were witnessing at this moment.  
  
" Who are you Granger?" Severus finally spoke.  
  
The question caught her off guard, making her look quizzically at him with her chocolate brown eyes.  
  
" What's that supposed to mean?" she inquired.  
  
Snape turned to her and gave her a searching look. " Exactly what I said, who are you?"  
  
What was he playing at, what was that supposed to mean, was it a trick question? She decided to give the only answer she could give to this very odd boy.  
  
"I'm me"  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
After another fifteen minutes, Hermione lets the front grounds and headed back to the castle. Snape watched her as she left. Just as she had turned from the place were they were both standing now knee deep in the snow a gust of wind picked up. Blowing the think green house robe from Hermione's shoulders.  
  
He almost did a double take at what he saw on her arm.  
  
It had to have been a mistake, he just needed more sleep, how could that possibly have been there. It couldn't be. If so how did she get it?  
  
He convinced him self at the end that it was an illusion, as he watched Hermione leave to the castle.  
  
It couldn't be..... Not the dark mark? 


	23. An old married couple?

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
" Your Lying Snape! There's no way!" Cried Lucius Malfoy in alarm.  
  
Snape just glared at his young friend.  
  
" Im not Lying Lucius, I know what I saw and what I saw was that on Granger!"  
  
Lucius just shook his head and leaned up against the wall next to the entrance hall near the great doors. Both he and Snape were waiting for Hermione to show up so that they could go down to Hogsmead together. The whole time they had been waiting Snape had been trying to convince Lucius (since the morning) that Hermione had the mark on her.  
  
" Snape it just doesn't add up!" Growled Lucius. " Im telling you, Hermione wouldn't go out for that kind of thing, she doesn't believe in any of the things we and the rest of us do. She would never in a million years go searching for the kind of power " Tom" could offer." He thought for a second and shook his head full of blonde hair. " If she hadn't been put in our house I would have sworn she was a Gryffendor with all her morals and other agenda's!"  
  
Snape just looked at him, crossing his long arms across his chest. His black eyes drilling holes into Lucius's.  
  
"Don't look at me like that Snape!" mummered Lucius. " You give me the creeps when you do that."  
  
Snape smirked loving the fact that he could torment his friend with a single glance.  
  
" Maybe your right maybe I'm not thinking clearly on this. I will tell you one thing though Lucius." He whispered. " Something is very odd about Granger .and no matter what that is we still have a job to do for "Tom".  
  
"Finally we agree on something." Smiled Lucius, although there was a hit of regret in his eyes.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later the unlikely trios of Slytherin's were crossing through the streets of Hogsmead, enjoying the wonderful relish of the feeling of Christmas.  
  
Hermione however noticed that her two companions were watching her every move ever so closely and were more silent then usual. Some thing was going on and the twisting feeling inside of the pit of her stomach told her that it wasn't going to be a good thing.  
  
Her un comfortableness however subsided when the trio met up with Narccissa and Remus outside of the "Three broomsticks" which much to Hermione's amazement had truly been around for a very long time; it according to Remus had been around since the fifties.  
  
It truly did amaze her how much the two of them seamed to care for one another, how both of them cared for the Slytherin trio. They weren't drawn into the normal prejudices that were flaunted around the houses. The two of them only saw Severus, Lucius and herself as human beings not warriors from a house of evil.  
  
On the other hand Remus still did hang around the other Gryffendor's, the marauders mostly. However not as much as he had originally. IT made Hermione wonder if her presence being in this time was breaking the bond of the Marauders of Gryffendor.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
The five of them all entered the three broomsticks eager for a light and warm lunch, almost all of there robes were soaked from the snow, which from this morning was still continuing to descend on the earth.  
  
The strangely assembled group of teenagers took one of the larger tables inside of the warm candlelit pub at the back.  
  
Hermione smiled as Remus pulled out Narccissa's chair for her and sat down to her left, as she herself took the seat on the right of the blondes, next to Snape. Leaving Lucius whom wouldn't meet Narccissa's eyes and vise versa to sit between Remus and Severus.  
  
From the look of how ell Severus and Remus got along together it seemed that Sirius and James had yet to pull there little prank in this time. It was a pity that it would happen because Snape even in Slytherin had very few friends and from Hermione's experience Remus Lupin was one of the best people to be friends with due to his " no Prejudice" attitude."  
  
"So what time did you two arrive at Hogsmead?" inquired Hermione to the Gryffendor and Ravenclaw.  
  
"We got here at eight, how about your selves?" answered Narccissa.  
  
Snape decided that it was his turn to speak, he turned a large and unimpressed sneer at Hermione who just scowled at him. " We got here an hour ago, eleven o'clock to be exact."  
  
" Wow, you three sure took your sweet time getting here." Laughed Remus, who earned a sneer not quite as venomous as the one Hermione received from Snape?  
  
"We would have been here earlier but " Miss Granger!" over her couldn't seem to find her wand!" He barked.  
  
Hermione gave an involuntary shiver from Snape using the words " Miss Granger" just like he had used in the future when he was her teacher. She wanted to punch his not yet crooked nose and make it so.  
  
She settled for a growl and a " Will you just let it drop Snape?"  
  
Snape just growled at her.  
  
Lucius laughed. Earning a scowl from the both of them, causing him to sink deep towards the floor in his chair.  
  
" Boy do those two ever fight like there an old married couple" Narccissa whispered to Remus.  
  
Both Hermione and Snape's heads snapped up to the two of them and screeched. " WHAT?!"  
  
"Nothing!" Replied Remus and Narccissa in unison.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
After a very interesting and warm lunch the three boys set off to go look at quidditch supplies. Leaving the two girls on their own in side the three broomsticks.  
  
"Some things never change." Mumbled Hermione as she watched the three boys leave the pub and walk out into the elements.  
  
Narccissa looked at her strangely. " What do you mean by that?"  
  
Hermione just wanted to bite her tong but decided to change the subject, instead of having to explain the little comment she had just made.  
  
" So have you and Lucius talked at all?" she whispered to the blonde.  
  
Narccissa blanched a bit and shook her head. " No and I don't want to, it's just to difficult, Lucius just always ends up yelling and I always just end of crying."  
  
"But you both don't want to go through with it right?" Hermione pressed.  
  
" God No! The last thing we both want is to be married to one another! Hell we can't even stay in the same room with one another for more then two minutes!" Screeched Narccissa.  
  
Hermione began to vaguely wonder what home life had been for the son of the two of her friends.. Draco Malfoy. No wonder he was such and ass, there must have never been a pleasant family moment in his entire house hold life.  
  
" Would you mind if I talked to Lucius?" Hermione inquired.  
  
Narccissa stopped for a moment and weighed the consequences of that option, who know it might even help the situation.  
  
"All right!" Narccissa finally mumbled in a bit of self-worry.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Leaving the Pub and into the cold snowy streets of Hogsmead both Narccissa and Hermione set about there Christmas shopping. Narccissa's parents had given her an allowance for the holidays and she was planning on exercising it completely. Hermione on the other hand had Galleons to spend from her working with Hagrid but decided to only buy one special gift for each of her friends instead of many meaningless ones for them.  
  
After promising to meet up with each other in an hour the pair of girls split up to hunt for gifts.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Both Narccissa and Remus were easy to shop for, For Remus begin the keeper of the Gryffendor quidditch team and completely interested in playing the sport proffesionaly (he was so much like Ron it made her want to weep), Hermione found a very interesting collectors item in the Quality Quidditch supplies shop. It was a Qwauffle signed by the whole "London Lancers" team, which was his favorite quidditch team.  
  
For Narccissa she found a moving model (magic, not in ball form, with black whips smoke for space and balls of light for the planets and stars.) Because Narccissa was deeply interested in the art (Hermione scoffed at this) of divination.  
  
However Hermione had not a clue in hell what to get Lucius and Severus for Christmas. Wrapping her cloak around her tight as the wind and snow picked up, Hermione looked around at the shops on the street.  
  
Deciding that first she would concentrate on Lucius. To try and help her she began to define what exactly Lucius was like.  
  
He was arrogant, hostile and a would be bigot, striving for attention, but also could be very gentle and caring, he also seemed to be very lonely at times, for one so full of him self.  
  
Looking around she found the perfect shop, she knew he would love this. It was just so him! After a few minute of searching inside a very dark and stuffy shop Hermione exited the large building caring in her hand a crate covered with a white cloth to keep the creature inside safe and warm.  
  
He was going to love it.  
  
Finally she came to the last person on her list. Severus Snape. There was absolutely nothing that she could think of to buy him. He liked quidditch (being a superb Beater for the Slytherin team) but didn't live and breathe it; in fact he usually got annoyed if a conversation turned to that topic. He enjoyed school immensely and often gave her quite a challenge to try and out wit him, He loved to read, and was never far behind her to the library.  
  
That's it!  
  
It was simple but if she could find something special he would enjoy it more then all the other's gifts put to gather.. She hoped at least.  
  
She went to the local book store and searched and searched. " Emeries guide to potions for dummies? No I don't think so.How to feed your flubber worm? God does this bookstore have anything that isn't remotely pathetic..." cried Hermione softly while picking up a copy of "Removing your fungus".  
  
"Well so much for that idea" mumbled Hermione in defeat as she exited the store, truly unimpressed with it.  
  
"GODS! I can't believe that there was not a single thing in that entire store!" she growled to her self-walking rather hotly down the streets of Hogsmead. Still watching all the stores.  
  
She skidded to a halt as she noticed a small worn sign on the side of the road, it was almost unseeable.  
  
" Assorted Magical Artifacts and trinkets." Was the shops name enblazed on a worn wooden sign, with a small quill and parchment on it.  
  
With in a few minutes she was inside of the store, looking wildly around her. There was every thing here, and yet nothing. Little trinkets that would take years to decipher a use for. Models, statues, assortments of magical artifacts.  
  
There was a distinctly odd smell to the store, it was the sent of ages. Gods know how long this shop had been here. There was everything and anything in the store all cluttered and shuffled together.  
  
Finally there were books, large leather bound tomes of knowledge calling out to her to read them, devour them. Some with silver or gold texted writing on them, some with none at all.  
  
So busy looking with longing at the books was she that she didn't notice a very old and wiry looking man had come up behind her.  
  
"Looking for anything in paticular Madam?" inquired the old man with a very ghost like voice.  
  
Hermione was startled and gave out a small cry of surprise. She looked him over, he was shorter then herself and was warring a long silver and blue worn suit and tailored jacket. His eyes were an eirie acid green that flickered in the constantly moving candlelight. He had long silvery hair tied back into a noted ponytail at the back of his very aged head. His skin was so pale and held a glare to it that had she not been paying more attention to it she might have noticed that you could see right through it.  
  
"Ah.. Yes Im looking for a book for my friend." She managed to whisper.  
  
The man looked thoughtfully at her, his eyes seemed to be reading her soul.  
  
"Very well then, now this friend.. Male or female?" he asked his voice giving out almost an echo.  
  
"Male" she whispered, in creaky voice.  
  
"Very well then Very well then." He walked over to the masses of books laden on his worn shelves, taking a good look at her once again he began pilfering through the leather bound tomes.  
  
"Hmm. no. maybe.no I don't think so.heavens no!" he said as he looked over each tome and gave it a searching look. Hermione stepped back in fascination and slight fear from the very odd man.  
  
"AHHA!" screeched the man pulling out a very large and very old looking book, there were worn almost un seable silverish black lettering emblazed on the dark blue leather book.  
  
Hermione's eyes bulged at the title. " TWO MAGICS, ONE WORLD.by.." She couldn't make out the author's name it appeared to be. " Mer..Lin". Strange she had never heard of that author before.  
  
"This is what you are looking for my dear, your young friend will enjoy this is he had half of the lust for books as you do." whispered the old man as he moved behind a counter and rung up the price on the book.  
  
How did he know of her love of books? More so how did he know what book Severus would want? Something worried her about this place. it made her soul feel like there were spiders crawling over it, spinning their webs.  
  
Her eyes bulged when she saw the price of the book. good gods. that was almost every thing she had earned since ccominghere. Over sixty galleons worth...  
  
Yet something inside of her told her that she " Needed " to buy this book.  
  
" I'll take it." She said handing over her gold to the man who placed the book in a cloth and covered it tightly.  
  
" Good luck my Dear, Good Luck" the man whispered to her as she left the store rather quickly, desperate to get away from the strange person.  
  
"Your gonna need it, my dear, your going to need it."  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey Hermione!" Narccissa called out to her from the other side of the street as she came out of the store with her book in hand.  
  
"Hello Narccissa! Get everything you needed?" chirped Hermione, indicating to the large bags of items in each of Narccissa's hands.  
  
Narccissa just laughed. " Have you seen the boys?"  
  
Hermione crossed the street so that they wouldn't have to yell to talk to one another.  
  
" No sign, you know them probably off goggling at quidditch supplies or other things not so appropriate." Hermione laughed, earning a smirk from Narccissa.  
  
" Or maybe they have just been looking for you two for the last hour!" Came Snapes voice from behind Hermione. She jumped as he poked her in the sides.  
  
"Dammit Snape don't scare me like that!" She screeched trying to find her heart because she was sure it had just flown out of her rib cage from fright.  
  
" Ah but that's one of my few joys in life!" he sneered, giving her a very loft look.  
  
" Get a hobby!" she growled.  
  
Remus came out from behind them and walked over to Narccissa giving her a playful poke in the arm. Lucius followed and took a place standing beside Remus.  
  
" Yup you were right Remus, Definitely an old married couple." Laughed Narccissa.  
  
This time all three of them broke out into fits of laughter, each earning murderous glare's from both Hermione and Severus.  
  
" HAHA they even sneer the same!" Roared Lucius. Earning a box in the head from Snape.  
  
Hermione however blushed, trying not to look Snape in the eyes or even at him at all. She was dumbfounded that the two of them had even a smidgen of something in common, however in another way she was beginning to see just how much alike they were.  
  
Remus checked his watch. " Damn we have to get back to the castle, you know how that old bat Lacouse gets if were late back from Hogsmead."  
  
No one but Hermione noticed the look of rage on Severus's face at the un - intentional attack on the Potions teacher.  
  
Walking back she slipped beside Snape, who was still giving murderous glances to Remus's who was walking in front by Narccissa.  
  
" I don't think he meant to insult your mother Snape." she whispered.  
  
Snape stopped immediately in his snow blown tracks. Turning infront of her, his large black robes gave a familiar swish of hostility.  
  
"What did you say?" he whispered, laced with a growl.  
  
Hermione didn't think he would act like that. " I said that I don't think Remus meant anything by that indirect attack on your mother."  
  
His eyes searched hers; they were laced with concern and mortification.  
  
" How do you know?" He questioned.  
  
Hermione relaxed where all of his hostility was coming from, it was concern for his mother, no one she guessed knew except maybe Dumbledore. Of course he would be concerned. To have some one who was a family member on the faculty at Hogwarts could raise suspicions about certain aspects of school life.  
  
" I just noticed the way you two try to hid any affection for one another." She answered with a knowing tone.  
  
" For all you know she could be my "lover" why do you think she was my mother." Sneered Snape, but in the end just turned a lofty grin to her.  
  
Hermione faltered. " Well for one thing SNAPE you two are so much a like you would think that you are a male clone of her. You both are highly intelligent, have the same annoyingly dark and amazing eyes AND YOU BOTH NEED TO START WARRING A BELL BECAUSE YOU POP OUT OF NO WHERE WITH OUT A SOUND!" she roared.  
  
Snape looked like he was going to kill her. She backed up a bit. Then for some strange reason he began to laugh. Putting his long arm around her shoulder he began walking to catch up with the others. It felt so strange to fell herself up against him as he pulled her close to him, she could feel his chest contort and shift as he gave out his magnificent throaty laugh. She shivered at the vibrations that echoed from him.  
  
She began to feel warm inside, a strange feeling it was. A name less feeling, filled with power and grace. Even stranger was the cause of it. IT was Snape. Severus Snape was the cause of it.  
  
Dead down inside of her, beyond the reach of her mind she knew what the nameless feeling was.  
  
No longer laughing he turned once again to her.  
  
" You know you're the first to figure that out.." He said looking at her with what appeared to be a new respect.  
  
" I won't tell any one you know." She whispered.  
  
" Thank you Granger, thank you." He smirked, giving her a friendly poke in the arm. Moving his arm from her shoulders back down to his side he didn't noticed the look of loss that Hermione aloud her self for a brief moment.  
  
" Your welcome Snape." She gripped her parcels tighter.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Upon arriving back at Hogwarts the five of them, an odd group they were, walked by the dueling board. There were only a few weeks left of the tournament.  
  
Snape and Remus were going to be competing and whichever one of the two won would be facing there second to last challenger. Hermione if she won her next match would face the winner of that one for the tittle of the champion.  
  
However she had to beat Peter Pettigrue, and from his match against Narccissa he was going to be tough.  
  
More then what she would have ever given him credit for.  
  
Both Remus and Snapes match was set in a week, and Hermione's match was set for December 27th.  
  
Only three days before new years Eve. 


	24. Bravery and brutality

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione and Narccissa closely flanked by Lucius Malfoy looked up at the large dueling stage with worry and excitement. There eyes were closely glued to the two tall figures facing one another, each wearing an expressionless face, there eyes however showed furiously working minds planning there first course of attack.  
  
It was finally Severus Snape's and Remus Lupin's turn to face each other in the ring. The stakes were high; winning this match would ensure a place for the final round. The round that would decide who was Hogwarts champion.  
  
Many people had entered, now there were only four left. Peter Pettigrue, Hermione Granger, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin.  
  
Hermione watched with worried eyes, she knew from years of being around the dark, and fierce looking Severus Snape that he was every inch of what he looked like on the outside as he was on the inside.  
  
She gulped, knowing the outcome.  
  
Remus didn't have a chance in hell.  
  
"Please Snape don't hurt him.." She whispered, his eyes flickered in her direction, she was sure that he heard her.  
  
She watched Narccissa's face as she surveyed every shift that Remus made, her eyes were surged with concern and worry. And most of all love. Love for a friend; love for a person who knew her heart, love for her soul mate.  
  
She smiled at the blonde, hopping that she knew what her emotions were, she was positive that Remus felt the same. Her thoughts were put to rest as Remus turned and sought out her face in the crowd. He gave a kind and loving smile to Narccissa.  
  
If only she could find something like that, some one who knew her inside and out, who loved the things she loved, and could challenge her in every aspect in life. For some one who could challenge her and possibly have a chance at beating her.  
  
It was one thing that truly affected her was for some one to beat her intellectually at anything, it was something that she always found her self looking for.because of it she had never found any one.  
  
In fact she had only seen a grand total of two people. Victor Krum and Seamus Finnigan. People had always assumed that she would end up with either Ron or Harry but they were never her type. in fact neither were Krum and Finnigan.  
  
There was no chance now of finding some one, Voldmort had seen to that.  
  
Not a chance, she scoffed and looked around as the match was being prepared.  
  
When she did she noticed something that she never thought she would see, Lucius had moved away from where he was standing beside Hermione and was looming in the back of the hall, where no one could see. Or at least he hoped no one would see. Hermione almost fainted at who she saw with him.  
  
It was a seventh year Hufflepuff girl named Laura Patil; her brother (twin to be exact) was in Ravenclaw. Laura Patil was in fact the aunt of Padma and Parvati Patil from Gryffindor their father was her twin brother.  
  
One thing however was that long ago Hermione discovered that her friends Parvati and Padma's were in fact almost muggle born, there father and his sister were Muggle born children.  
  
Hermione fought back a giggle when she saw Lucius reach up and brush back a dark oak colored stand of hair from Laura's face, the girl smiled warmly up at him and clasped her hand in his own. Lucius looked up at her with the most incredibly kind and soft eyes that she had ever seen, he picked her hand up and placed a kiss on it and then rubbed it to his face.  
  
Gods how he had changed, the whole school knew that the Patil's were muggle born, it didn't seem to faze Lucius any more. Hermione felt a sense of pride for her newfound friend. there was hope for him yet.  
  
"Would you look at that" she whispered to herself. Earning a weird glance from Narccissa.  
  
"Shhh Hermione there about to start!" she chided.  
  
Hermione returned her gaze to the stage, it had started. Snape and Remus were now both preparing their stances. Both from the stances that they assumed had had dueling experience before. However from the look in Severus eye's and the way he held his long spidery wand (much like his own fingers) he had much much more of it.  
  
"Duelers! Bow, take ten Paces and begin!" roared Professor Lacouse.  
  
Snape gave Remus a sneer as he bowed down to him, his black feather like hair fanned down his face, Hermione had the strongest urge to pull it back with her own hands.  
  
Crossing her hands tightly she began to pray that he would go easy on Remus.  
  
Both bowed and turned on their heels taking ten very quick and long steps. The crowd held its breath as the two of them turned slowly and faced one another from the proper distance apart.  
  
Hermione felt her nails dig into the palm of her hand as she watched the look on Snape's face. It was cold, dark, and emotionless. Like solid granite. He looked out at Lupin with black hooded eyes, and evil glare appeared in them, almost like he was possed.  
  
Then she felt it, the sudden crack of power as it surged through the room, concentrating to one spot. To Snape. He was calling his strength while shielding his intentions through glares and sneers. She doubted from the look on the crowds face that any of the people in the hall other then the teachers and her self had a clue of what that boy was doing.  
  
She cast her eyes to the teacher's table. Most of the Professor's held a cool demeanor, watching intently at thematch.. However both Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Lacouse seemed to be on the edge of their seats, both sets of eyes were focused intently on Severus and were casting worried glances at Remus.  
  
Gods even the teachers knew the out come. they knew it was going to be Snape who won.  
  
Pieces of the mystery of Snape came colliding together as the two of the boys watched each other for who would make the first move.  
  
Hermione began to see why Voldmort would want some one like Snape in his ranks. Snape for a boy had immense power and the knowledge to use it and from the look on his face, he was cold and resided enough to use it.  
  
Her thoughts on this she barely heard the crack and ripple of magic as it soared through the room, students jumped and screamed as a molten red blast issued from Snape's wand.  
  
So much for waiting for whom would go first.  
  
Remus countered with a shield charm effectively nullifying the blast, however the shield took effort and power from him. The spell that Snape had cast had been powerful enough to almost kill him, Remus was drained.  
  
And Snape knew it. with a glint of triumph he threw the same spell at the brown haired Griffendor. The roaring flames connected with Remus just as he was preparing to retaliate.  
  
Giant flames crashed down on the boy, singing and flaming skin. The sent of cooked meat wafted through the room as the body of Remus Lupin smashed down on the ground in a bloody black rubble.  
  
" NOOO!" Narccissa screamed hoisting herself up onto the stage where Remus lay motionless; tears were straining down her cheeks, plastering her blonde hair to her face as she came closer to his body. Hermione followed, giving Snape a hard glare.  
  
She had been right though, Remus didn't stand a chance against him, and Snape was a demon.  
  
"What have you done.." She snarled at him in a whisper.  
  
The whole hall was silent except for the deep sobs of Narccissa as she moved over Remus's body. Dumbledore walked up to the girl and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Madam Pomfrey came scurrying towards them a worried look on her face as she removed Remus's now still form from the stage.  
  
Narccissa and Dumbledore followed; Hermione couldn't help but feel better when the Headmasters eyes began to twinkle. At least Remus was going to be alive.  
  
Her attention flew back to a very smug looking Snape as Professor Lacouse announced him the winner. Although the spell had been life threatening it was still a legal move, there was to be no disqualifications.  
  
Snape had won.  
  
He gave her a smile as his previous aggressive demeanor disappeared, as if expecting her to come and congratulate him. Hermione's anger began to boil in her veins; she gave him a growl and the most vicious glare she had ever dawned on anyone. It was meant to kill.  
  
Snape gave her a surprised look as she turned on her heel, tossing her brown curls over her shoulder and left the hall to go see to Remus.  
  
Snape turned to Lucius who had stepped up beside him after the battle.  
  
"What's her problem?" snarled Snape to Lucius who had just returned from the back of the hall with the Hufflepuff girl.  
  
Lucius just shrugged his shoulders. " I don't know maybe you shouldn't have cooked Lupin?"  
  
"Why would she care, its not as if he's a house mate?" Snape snarled.  
  
" I don't know that girl is far to complex for me. one minute she's a Slytherin like the rest of us, the next you could swear that she was a Gryffendor!" Lucius said shaking his head.  
  
" Interesting thought their Lucius, a perfect analogy for our bushy hair friend." Mummer Snape in his deep silky voice.  
  
Beside them there was a snarl.  
  
Severus turned and faced a rage filled Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrue and James Potter.  
  
"Your gonna pay for that Snape!" Black Snapped.  
  
Snape just regarded him with a cool icy look. " I would like to see a pathetic excuse for a wizard like your self try and bring me down Black!" With that he turned on his heel, his robes billowing behind him, as he made his way up to the infirmary. Lucius close in tow.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Snape and Lucius made their way to the infirmary where Remus, Narccissa and Hermione were. Peaking through the large oak door with out entering it they watched the scene inside.  
  
Remus was lying on a white cot, completely un cocius, his normally sand freckled skin was charred and splintered, like paper pealing on off his frame. The scent of antiseptic soared through Snapes nostrils.  
  
Snape felt a twinge of guilt for the boy who had nearly killed, it was strange he had never felt guilt before. Normally however he never saw what happened to the people of his receiving end.  
  
Narccissa was in tears next to Remus. Her normally ice blue eyes were full of tears and were a hot red from crying. Hermione stood besides her trying to soothe her  
  
"Shhh.. Narccissa he'll be ok. I promise. Remus is made of tough stuff." Hermione tried to comfort the blond, rubbing her hand on her back while the girl cried into her hands.  
  
" But you heard Madam Pomfry. very few people survive from burns like that.He's gonna die!" she wailed. " I mean she said it her self even she cant heal burns like that!"  
  
Snape felt his heart drop, Lucius shifted uncomfortably to his left.  
  
Hermione however was getting frustrated. She knew that Madam Pomfry had said that but had not said that indicating that Remus was going to die. He wouldn't . However it was going to be very difficult to explain to Narccissa that Remus couldn't die from wounds like that because it was close to his time of month. Soon he would morph into his werewolf form and all the burns would be gone, replaced by new skin that was shed every moon cycle.  
  
However how in gods name was she supposed to tell Narccissa that the boy she was in love with was going to turn into a dog in less then.. She glanced at her watch. a few hours, once night had fallen. Relief swelled into her heart.  
  
He only had to hold on until tonight and he would be fine.  
  
Looking around the room in exasperation she spied two figures peaking through the rough oaken door.  
  
"Hold on Narccissa I'll be right back." She whispered, leaving the sobbing blond at the bedside of her fallen comrade.  
  
Both Snape and Lucius had little time to back away from the door as Hermione threw it open with all the force she could muster.  
  
"What are you doing here!" she spat at Snape cornering him into the wall, oblivious to the fact that Lucius was there.  
  
Snape was shocked and he had little time to mask the fact. He could feel the rage that was coming off of the girl.  
  
" I came to see how Lupin was doing!" He snarled back at her.  
  
"Don't you think you've all ready done enough!" she roared.  
  
" WHAT THE HELL IS WITH YOU GRANGER!" He boomed, coming very close to using his future teaching voice.  
  
" What the hell is with me? What the hell is with me?" she snarled pinning him against the wall. " Do you have any idea what you've almost done?" she was speaking in frantic tones, not really hearing her own words, she began banging her fists on his chest with all her anger. " YOU ALMOST KILLED REMUS YOU DRAFT, STUPID EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING! HE WOULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW IF IT WASN'T FOR HIS LACANTH." She almost smacked herself at what she had almost said, she had almost let it slip that Remus was a werewolf.  
  
Her eyes were alight with a powerful fire of a woman.  
  
Snape's eyes were like black ash, life less, however to those who knew him he was like a raging storm inside. He could tolerate being called a grease ball, a bat, but never had anyone ever insulted his intelligence straight to his face or for that matter at all. Every one in the school had never insulted him in such a manner. (Well most were afraid to be hexed into oblivion just like Lupin). How is it that she wasn't afraid of him.so mixed up in these thoughts was Snape that he almost missed that she had just about said Lacanthropy.  
  
His eyes cooled as he looked at her.  
  
" Why do you care Granger?" he said softly, taking her fists in his hands and pulling them away from him.  
  
Hermione blinked up at hit.  
  
" I care Snape because he is my friend, just as he was yours. I understand that you had to win but did you have to almost damn near kill him?" she to was speaking is softer tones, hers were much more desperate however as if pleading with him.  
  
" Well Granger, Lupin knew exactly what he was going to have to face, there are RISKS!" HE snarled, fighting back the urge to spit in her face.  
  
Hermione just looked at him as though he wasn't even there. Her hands were still on his chest and her nails were digging into him.  
  
" I can't change the past Granger, leave it alone." With that he swept out of her reach and down the hall, his black robes billowing traditionally behind him.  
  
Hermione watched him go a large swell of sadness flooded through her already tired body.  
  
"No but I can change the future." She whispered to herself.  
  
"Um Hermione?" came Lucius's voice; it sounded a little off probably from being ignored for so long.  
  
" What!" she snapped, unknowingly at him. " Gods I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap Lucius, what do you want?" she asked in a calmer tone, how was it that Snape got her so riled up all the time.  
  
"It's ok, I don't mind, Snape brings out that reaction in most people" Lucius Smiled.  
  
Lucius looked at her siriusly. " You know Hermione Snape was right it was just a game... He didn't mean to do what he did."  
  
The thought made her realize that she had been unfair, treating him the way she did for more then what he had done. She had to stop thinking in the future..  
  
" ARG! He's just so irritating!" she growled in the direction that Snape had gone.  
  
" Yah but that's what makes him, him!" Laughed Lucius.  
  
" I connect, now what is it that you wanted?"  
  
He walked over to the infirmary door, and motioned her to come and look. There was Narccissa holding a charred hand of Remus, talking gently to him, trying with all her might to hold back the tears.  
  
He turned to Hermione.  
  
" I've been meaning to talk to you about a certain thing that's happening in my life. Gods I don't know how to say this, I mean if I don't go through with it I'll be disowned by my family and if I do I'm likely to.. And I figured that since you always seem to know what to do about things if you could help me with this. thing its really complicated."  
  
His tones were confusing and jerky, to anyone who had no idea what he was talking about; they might have had him admitted to saint mungo's. Hermione however knew exactly what he was talking about.  
  
" I already know Lucius.. Narccissa told me what's going on." Hermione whispered putting a hand on her friend's back.  
  
" You do?" He gave her a searching look, his ice blue eyes trying to find comfort in her amber ones.  
  
" Yes I do. Narccissa asked me to help already. I think I know a way. How you two can avoid this whole thing, but you have to know that you might be shunned from your families."  
  
She watched his expression, nothing changed she took it as a sign to go on.  
  
" I've already talked it over with Narccissa, she will do it. Something's aren't worth missing out on (she indicated to Remus and Narccissa, it was plan that they two of them held more feelings then just friendship). The only solution that I believe would have a chance in hell would be." She paused.  
  
" Dumbledore. you have to tell Dumbledore. he can help you." she whispered.  
  
Lucius just looked blank, as if not a thought of what she had just said had registered in his brain. Finally his eyes darkened and he turned to face her.  
  
" I'll do it, I cant live my life the way my parents want me to. and to do that to Narccissa. its just not right" Hermione tried not to laugh at his words, this from the Lucius Malfoy who had murdered hundreds in her time. she mentally smacked her self.. This was not that man. this was not were near what that man had been, and if Lucius continued down on this path that man who murdered raped and killed would never come to pass.  
  
" I'll go tell Narccissa." With that she walked into the infirmary and sat down beside the de-stressed blond. 


	25. Gone

~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
With a scream a black cloaked figure in a porcelain pale mask hit the ground with a sickening thud.  
  
" Master!" it screamed. As a larger wiry figure with and inhuman step came closer.  
  
" I ask you one simple thing.." The tall figure whispered in a low deep serpentine voice. " To bring me the girl.."  
  
" Master I.."  
  
"CRUCIO!" The figure roared with a boom louder then the loudest thunder. A gray light shot from a concealed wand in its right hand.  
  
The smaller figure screamed and convulsed. Twisting like a worm on the ground being pecked at by a hungry raven.  
  
" ALL YOU BRING ME IS EXCUSES!" It roared at the now crumpled figure on the ground.  
  
" Master. please.. I will." the smaller figure gasped.  
  
The taller figure relented, removing the spell.  
  
" You have one more chance.. I want her NOW!" the figure spat.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
"For some one Miss Granger who is not supposed to be here you seemed to be making your self quite at home." Laughed Dumbledore to a very shocked and deserted Hermione Granger.  
  
Glancing over his half moon spectacles and across his dark oak desk, he surveyed the brave Slytherin/Gryffendor. She had changed so much in the last few months being here in the past. He wondered if she had even noticed that she was now a full-fledged woman. Then again, she had never had the time.  
  
" You did a very stupid thing Miss Granger, as time would have it both Miss Ascisk and Mr. Malfoy were to end up sharing a very unpleasant life. Now as it would seem though your intervention, and actions on my own part this will never come to pass." He raised his aged and graying eyebrows to her in question.  
  
" Yes sir" Hermione whispered.  
  
"Why did you do it Miss Granger?" He continued.  
  
" I couldn't. I couldn't.. I couldn't let it happen to the both of them, there just so wrong for each other. That couldn't be the way it was supposed to be!" her voice at the start was shaky but grew in power as she carried on.  
  
Dumbledore looked as though he was going to speak. The glow to his eyes was starting to return.  
  
"Headmaster, I do not mean to sound disrespectful, but I have met the future Narccissa and Lucius, there nothing like the good people who I know. Lucius in my time is a cold-blooded murderer. Narccissa is a beaten and broken housewife. I couldn't let that happen. I WONT LET THAT HAPPEN!" she began to raise her voice.  
  
" You do relies Miss Granger, that by taking the course of actions you have taken you may have very well erased your own existence in your own time?" His face held a seriousness of worry, although his eyes held much more then mischief.  
  
The thought hit her like a tone of bricks. No this has anything to do with her.  
  
" I. um." she was stark white with confusion.  
  
Dumbledore held up his hand. " You don't need to answer that Miss Granger.. What's done is done. and I must say thank you for it."  
  
Hermione just nodded in absolute awe, he wasn't angry.  
  
"Headmaster I don't understand.. Your not angry with me?"  
  
"No Hermione I am not, but I warn you now, think a head when you act, things are fragile. You have a power Hermione. One that I'm sure Voldmort never thought of. One I'm sure he would not want you to relies that you have."  
  
Hermione just starred at him, knowing what he was going to say.  
  
" Hermione, you have the gift of time. For how long we don't know. You have a chance although you didn't hear it from me. To change the course of the future. Such a power has never been given to any mar mortal. Let alone a seventeen year old girl." He chuckled at the last part.  
  
"Nineteen." Hermione whispered.  
  
" What was that?" Dumbledore raised his head to look her straight in the eyes.  
  
" I'm nineteen, I will be twenty in March." She mumbled.  
  
" I see. I should have known. A time turner from the future if I'm not mistaken."  
  
Hermione gapped openly at him. How in the world did he know that?  
  
Dumbledore just chuckled. " I believe you should go and join your friends Hermione. It is after all a Saturday, there is only so little times that you are young and can play in the winter snow. Even for one who has time, there still is no time."  
  
"Thank you headmaster." Hermione nodded getting up out of her soft chair and wrapping her silver fur trimmed cloak around her.  
  
" One more thing Hermione. If your arm begins to hurt again come and see me."  
  
Hermione nodded relies for the first time through every thing that had been going on for the last few weeks that.  
  
Her arm hadn't bothered her.  
  
She left the headmasters office, and headed straight for the library. She had to prepare. She was due in the arena against Peter Pettigrue on December 21st. Which happened to be in six days.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
"Dumbledore? Do you think it wise to let that girl roam free playing with our very lives?" Minerva McGonagall came out of the shadows after Hermione left, and steeped beside the silver haired headmaster.  
  
" My dear Professor McGonagall, honestly is it not Professors Laccous job to creep in the shadows, not your own." Smiled Dumbledore.  
  
" I creep when I must, why is it that you do not see the danger this girl posses to us?"  
  
" The only human being she posses a threat to is not even aware of it my dear Minerva. Miss Granger is a sound mind and I believe she is just realizing the power she holds."  
  
" That is precisely my point Albus! She had no notion of the chaos she will bring to us all if she is allowed to continue on."  
  
"Minerva, you have no great like of the girl do you?" it was more then an accusation then a question.  
  
" I will admit that I do not my dear Albus, sure as rain she is a bright one but honestly you are entrusting the fate of us all to a mear child!" Shrieked Minerva.  
  
" Minvera a few months ago I shared your fears and concerns but that girl who just walked out my office doors is no more a child then you are yourself." Albus smiled up at Minvera from his chair, and placed a withered hand of comfort onto her own.  
  
" Albus I simply do not trust the girl! You and I are the only ones who know who she really is! She is going to ruin us all.. Some things are not meant to be meddled with." Her voice was shaken.  
  
With that she removed her hand from Dumbledore comfort grasp and walked out of the room.  
  
"Minerva in a few years time you will be begging to shake the girls hand." Whipsered Dumbledore.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione looked out from the frost-covered window of the Library out on to the Hogwarts grounds. IT was almost Christmas; she could feel it in her bones, and in her heart.  
  
She had been in the Library for the last six hours immersed in an old text about dueling. IT was approximately eleven o'clock Monday night, but to her time just didn't matter any longer.  
  
To be honest with her self she hadn't been able to concentrate on the words of the heavy leather book laid in front of her. Images of things kept playing over and over in her mind. One in particular.  
  
Severus Snape.  
  
The two of them hadn't spoken to one another since the incident with Remus only two weeks ago. So much had changed since then. No longer did she feel comforted when she walked along the corridors to the potions class room, she used to find this an enjoyable experience, it meant that she was going to see him. For some reason she felt warm beside him when they were in class. IT was an amazing feeling to have some one as intelligent as your self and who didn't resent you for the fact that you in fact held more intellectual power then fifty percent of the Hogwarts population put together.  
  
Now, the two of them couldn't even stand beside each other for any more then a minute with out fighting. She knew that she had no reason to be mad with him. As Lucius had put forth Snape was doing what was required.  
  
What was required.?  
  
That was what scared her. She had seen a glimpse of what many people had seen before his future self has killed them.  
  
She shouldn't know what she knew, but ever since she had found that Severus Snape potion master at Hogwarts was an ex death eater. She began to learn about him. What he had done as a death eater. I made her sick just to look at his future self-some days.  
  
He had killed. He had rapped. He had destroyed hundreds of lives. After all he was third in command second only to Lucius who made him look like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn.  
  
It was all so confusing.  
  
Yet through knowing about his past/future she still couldn't shake a feeling of a great loss by his companionship.  
  
"ARGG! What the hell is wrong with me!" she roared to the empty Library, slamming her book on the table.  
  
" Well Granger do you really want me to point it out?" came a cool voice from behind her.  
  
Hermione jumped straight into the air, and landed off center on her chair toppling over onto the hard polished wooden floor of the Library.  
  
"DAMMIT!" she screeched as she hit the floor, only to rub her behind in pain. She reared on the voice that was laughing in hysterics.  
  
She knew that laugh, and hated it and loved it all the same. Learning against a dark stone wall was Severus Snape, clad in his house robes as usual, his raven black hair caught the moonlight like a piece of glass.  
  
"Bloody Hell Snape you ass hole! What 's your problem!" She roared in a venomous voice.  
  
"My problem, Granger is that you need to keep that busy head of yours out of other peoples business!" he growled.  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she questioned in exasperation.  
  
"It means that you should have minded your own business with Lucius and Narccissa! You have no idea what you have done!" He spat.  
  
"You know what Snape I've had it with you! You're the one who has no idea what going on! If you had you would have realized that both Narccissa and Lucius would have ended up killing each other!"  
  
" Well you can't make an omelet with out breaking a few eggs!"  
  
" THESE ARE OUR FRIENDS YOU ASS HOLE HOW DARE YOU THINK!!!." She stopped her sentence as he just smirked at her and picked up the book she had been trying to read, turning on his graceful heels he started towards the front desk.  
  
Hermione's tempered flared. She hoisted herself up on her feet in a flash and ran at him in full force, pushing him into an isle.  
  
Snape grunted as he contacted the wall, the book went sprawling on to the ground.  
  
" That's mine jerk!" she growled bending down to pick up the book.  
  
"Accucio!" Snape grunted, in a smooth voice. The thick leather bound book flew to his hand. " Well its mine now, I've been waiting for this very text for the last two hours."  
  
"Well you can just wait longer!" Growled Hermione forgoing her wand she ripped the book from Snapes long fingered grasp, hugging the leather bound book to her chest she pushed past his tall figure. She couldn't help however noticing the sharp shock that pinned into her arm where her brand was situated.  
  
"Shit!" she gasped in pain. Dropping the book she gripped her arm in a death bind. Something had triggered it; it was now burning with inconceivable pain. It felt worse then it had the night it was branded into her. Gasping she dubbed over still gripping her arm. She felt to the floor in a withering mass.  
  
" Granger!" Screamed Snape, rushing to her side, desperately trying to find out what was cosigning her so much pain. Kneeling down on the ground beside her he pulled her close to him. She began to seizure from pain.  
  
"HELP!" He roared into the empty library. He pulled her shaking body onto his lap; her face was the color of dry ash. Her eyes wide with terror and yet blinds to every thing.  
  
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" His voice had lost all smoothness but was now a ragged bark. He looked down on Hermione who was now crushed to his chest. Her eyes were beginning to close.  
  
"Somebody help" he whispered.  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
" Hermione wake up" came a familiar voice in her ear.  
  
Hermione shifted in her bedcovers, why couldn't they just let her sleep. Wait! I don't remember going to sleep. Where am I? With a frantic gasp she shot up in her bed, eyes wide open. Gasping for air.  
  
A blinding white light greeted her eyes. Soon her eyes focused and her vision cleared. She was in the infirmary. Seated on one of the many white cots  
  
"Hermione?" the familiar sweet rustic sounding voice quivered in her ear. She turned to find its source.  
  
"REMUS!" she squealed and tore her friend to her, giving him the mother of all bears hugs.  
  
Remus pulled back giving her his classic smile. He no longer had charred black skin in fact it was clear and clean. Not a mark or freckle on him. His hair had been magically re grown; he looked just like he had before the duel.  
  
" How are you old girl?" He inquired.  
  
"Who are you calling old girl you great flea bag!" she chimed, only after did she realize what she had said she slapped her hand over her mouth.  
  
Remus only laughed " well if any one was going to figure it out I'm glad it was you!"  
  
She smiled up at him. " I was really worried about you."  
  
"Ya I know, but people like me don't die that easily." He laughed but didn't seem so sure of himself.  
  
" Does every one know your OK?"  
  
" Ya, James, Sirius, and Lily came by to check on me." He smiled at her look of distaste at the mention of Sirius and Lily's names.  
  
" You know there not as bad as you think there are, they were the first to figure out who and what I was, they never abandoned me you know." He seemed to be thinking far away.  
  
" I know, believe me I know!" she moaned, remembering how nice Sirius had been to her before she had met him in his younger stage.  
  
She sat there a moment in silence with Remus, neither of them knowing what to say.  
  
A thought struck Hermione.  
  
"Remus how did I get here? How long have I been here for?"  
  
Remus looked at her for a moment and then laughed. " Just since last night.It seems you and I have something in common. Snape put us both in the hospital."  
  
Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or to look horrified.  
  
" Mind you, he was far more worried about you then he was when he put me here." Smiled Remus.  
  
"SNAPE!" she scoffed. " Worried about me? That a laugh!"  
  
Remus suddenly stopped smiling and looked at her gravely. " Hermione for someone who is so good at seeing the really face of people you sure are blind to Snape. why?"  
  
Hermione's face went blank as she stared infront of her, not moving.  
  
" You would never believe me Remus, I can't explain it to you.." Her voice held a sadness that Remus hadn't heard from her in months. A burning question was circling in her mind. why even after there fight and obvious hatred for each other had Snape helped her.  
  
" You kept my secret, let me keep yours?" He whispered Remus smashing her train of thought.  
  
"Remus." she pleaded, her eyes began to moisten with remembrance of her past, and she didn't want to face it again.  
  
"Gods Hermione don't cry. Gods what did that ass hole do to you?" whispered Remus, mistaking Hermione's watering eyes of remembrance for tears of a wrong committed by Snape.  
  
"Remus, Snape didn't do anything to me, its just. you wouldn't understand." Hermione mumbled to him.  
  
Remus just sighed and watched his distressed friend, he patter her gently on the back.  
  
"Hermione, I know there is something more to this then just Severus Snape. I need to know how you seem to know so much about every one. Hermione please tell me?" His voice was gentle much like the kind sickly man that she had known in the future.  
  
She didn't want him to know what lay ahead for him.  
  
" Remus have you spoken to Narccissa since you awoke?" She changed the subject and he knew it.  
  
With a sigh of defeat Remus nodded. " She was pretty shook up, a lot can change in a few days."  
  
"Did she tell you about her and Lucius?"  
  
A blush creeped up on his face and he tried to hide a smile. " Yes she did, I've never been happier for her."  
  
Hermione just smiled and couldn't help but stiff a giggle. " Why do I get the feeling your not telling me everything?"Now it was Remus under the spotlight.  
  
Remus remained silent, but a heavier blush came over his light features.  
  
"Remus?" She chided giving him a stern look.  
  
"What?" he squealed in mock honesty?  
  
" What did I miss!"  
  
" Nothing! I swear!" He squealed again.  
  
"Remus stop squealing like a pig and tell me! Otherwise I'm gonna find out, you know Narccissa is my best friend!" Hermione fumed.  
  
"All right!" he concedes. " It wasn't must but we umm." He just went scarlet.  
  
"You what?"  
  
"He made official his feelings for the Ravenclaw." Came a rough voice from the doorway. Both Hermione and Remus's heads swiveled to the tall figure.  
  
"What do you want Black!" spat Hermione as the tall figure of Sirius Black came through the door way and towards her bed.  
  
"There was a rumor around the school that you were dead, I came to check.damn no such luck" he sneered.  
  
"You know Black you might wanna watch what you say considering that I could kick your very unattractive ass from here to Hogsmead!" Growled Hermione.  
  
The insult stung, from past experience Hermione knew that Sirius had always been very vain in his looks, which were in fact anything but unattractive.  
  
"Watch it you skanky little Slytherin!" Fumed Black.  
  
"SIRUIS SHUT IT!" came the wolf like voice from Remus. " WILL YOU JUST LET IT GO! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS YOU DAMN PRICK!"  
  
Black was taken aback as was Hermione, and in there surprise they exchanged glances of amazement at Remus's forwardness. The boy had always been so shy; it was something neither of them had ever expected.  
  
"Whoa Remus I didn't know you felt so strongly for her. Gods she's a Slytherin for hell's sake!" he pleaded in amazement.  
  
Hermione shot him a look.  
  
"That SLYTHERIN Sirius is one of my friends and if it wasn't for her I wouldn't even be around Narccissa!" Roared Remus.  
  
"Narccissa? What the hell does that mean?" Questioned Black, Hermione realized just then that no one save Remus, Narccissa, Lucius and Severus knew of her involvement in the liberation of the two betrothed.  
  
"Sirius, you and I need to talk." Remus shook his head, and with that he got up off of the bed and lead Sirius out of the room rather forcefully.  
  
She didn't see either of them again for the rest of the day.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Later that Day Dumbledore came to see her; his eyes were once again very closed and unreadable. What scared her was that there was no twinkle in his eye. He told her that she would be able to leave today, but that to be on her guard the mark doesn't act up with such a force unless something was on the horizon.  
  
She went back to her dorm with out seeing any one. She didn't want to either, there was a nagging feeling of dread in her heart. Something was going to happen and soon.  
  
She had to prapare for what ever it was, and for her match against Peter Pettigrue, which out of all days happened to be tomorrow.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
"Snape your full of bull shit you know that!" laughed Lucius.  
  
" I know what I saw Lucius. She collapsed gripping her arm and when I lifted up her self there was the dark mark." Seethed Snape.  
  
"I don't believe you. She's muggle born! Tom would never take her in to the order!" Lucius roared in frustration.  
  
" Well believe it! The mark was different, maybe Tom does take muggle born's but just brands them differently?" said Snape thoughtfully.  
  
"I just can't believe it. Why did the mark act up so violently?" Lucius whispered.  
  
" Don't know." Something in the back of Snapes mind was begining to bug him, something about Hermione's mark was wrong.very very wrong.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Once again the whole school was gathered in the great hall, the blinding skylights of the magical sealing beamed down on the whole of Hogwarts.  
  
Hermione stood in a corner on the dueling stage waiting for the match to get underway. She once again surveyed the crowed. There was Remus and James giving both her and Peter Pettigrue, who was standing on the opposite end of the stage looking rather, looks of approval. Lily was shooting daggers at her with her eyes but that didn't bother her. It never did.  
  
She spied Sirius Black standing beside Narccissa giving her a look of confusion and for once respect. He tilted his head to her and then to Narccissa and gave her was appeared to be a small smile.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement. Both Snape and Lucius were making there way through the very thick crowed towards her.  
  
"What do you want?" she inquired more forcefully to Snape then to Lucius.  
  
Snape motioned her to bend down so that he could speak to her with out shouting.  
  
" I want to know what going on Granger and I want to know now!" He snarled.  
  
"This is called a duel Snape!" she said sarcastically.  
  
" That's not what I meant." He spat and then with a quick movement smacked her arm where her mark was situated. She winced, as it was still tender. " That's what I meant!  
  
She went wide-eyed. He knew? "How did? What. How the hell?"  
  
Snape just gave her a look. " You screamed and grabbed it in the Library. Granger. what is going on?"  
  
The jig was up, she had to tell. Thankfully however Dumbledore decided that it was time to start the match.  
  
"Snape." she choked, she didn't want him to know, that would mean telling him her past and his future. " I will tell you every thing. I promise. I don't know why I should after the way you treated me but I will." There was a chide from Peter in the background. " After I finish this I promise I will."  
  
With that she left both Lucius and Snape who had begun to feel strange. He took one look at Peter and then back at Hermione. Then at Peter again. It was at his second glance that he noticed that Peter was holding a piece of old parchment in his hand. It was giving off a radiating light glow that could only be seen with total concentration.  
  
Peter also kept checking his watch.  
  
"Now!" boomed Dumbledore to the hall standing in the middle of the stage as he motioned both Peter and Hermione to his sides. " Give a round of applause for our two competitors." The hall flooded with cheers.  
  
Snape saw Peter check his watch again.  
  
"Competitors shake hands!" boomed Dumbledore again.  
  
Peter checked his watch.  
  
Then it hit Snape like a tone of bricks. the parchement that was still in Petters hands. The watch. Hermione?  
  
"LUCIUS!" He screamed through the cheers of excitement. " SOMETHINGS WRONG! PETTIGRUE HAS A PORTEKEY!"  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione watched the crowed and Pettigrue at the same time. He extended his hand to her. He was very pail, worried and anxious looking.  
  
"Competitors shake hands."  
  
She reached with her hand.  
  
"HERMIONE DON'T" Came a voice in the crowed. Snape? She motioned with her other hand that she couldn't hear him. Her other hand was still extended to Pettigrue's.  
  
Snape began to run towards her and was frantically pointing at Pettigrue.  
  
She turned to Pettigrue who looked relieved and grabbed her hand with his forcefully and quickly.  
  
Then she felt it. The piece of paper. A familiar tug behind her navel. She tried to scream but was gone.  
  
Gone. 


	26. When it counts

Authors Note Please READ: This chapter will deal with the subject of rape, nudity and extreme violence. If any of this disgusts you please do not continue reading. You have been warned! This chapter like all other chapter is subject to change.  
  
No spamming or flaming please this is how I wanted the story to go.  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
"HERMIONE!" Screamed out Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape as a loud pop rang out through the great hall.  
  
In a split second the once excited hall flew into a flurry of chaos, a few of the girls were screaming, many of the Slytherin house students were frantic. Hermione was one of their own now regardless of heritage.  
  
The teachers were all looking helplessly at Albus Dumbledore; his eyes were no longer filled with a twinkle but with cold rage.  
  
Narccissa and Remus came up behind Lucius and Severus; both of their faces were identical, grave and frightened.  
  
Lucius was paler then usual and his hands were shaking, Severus's eyes were still on the spot that Hermione had been only moments ago.  
  
"What the fuck happened?" demanded Narccissa.  
  
Severus just looked at her, no one could tell but his hands were shaking inside of his robes. His eyes were clouded over with confusion.  
  
"He took her." he whispered.  
  
Remus cocked his head to the side. " But it was peter? Why.. Why would he do something like that? Hell I know he wasn't fond on Slytherin's but for God sakes!"  
  
Suddenly it was like a flash of lightning has struck both Snape and Malfoy.  
  
The turned to one another.  
  
"You don't think?!.." The two of them whispered.  
  
"STUDENTS! PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR HOUSES AT ONCE!" came Headmaster Dumbledore magically amplified voice from the stage. The four students watched him as he whispered something to professor Lacouse who was now standing next to him. Both of the teacher's faces were considerably aged with impending worry.  
  
"Snape what the hell is going on?" came the very clipped voice of Sirius Black coming up behind Severus; James and Lily flanked him.  
  
"Isn't it obvious!" Snarled Lucius to the trio of Griffendors. " Your bastard friend Pettigrue just kidnapped Hermione!"  
  
"He wouldn't do that, I mean its Peter!" shrieked Lily, who had always had a soft spot for the chubby faced wimp. " This is just some stupid prank that that cow Granger cooked up to get more attention!"  
  
"Shut it Lily!" Growled Black, the look on every ones face was astonished. Both Snapes and Lucius's eyes nearly fell from their heads. Black had just defended Granger?  
  
Lily on the other hand was gapping like a fish out of water; Black had never spoken to her like that.  
  
Black returned his attention to Severus. " Snape what just happened? Apart from the obvious" he stated casting a look to Lucius.  
  
"I don't know," he said shaking his head. " I don't know."  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
For the rest of the day the castle was turned upside down but there was not trace of Hermione Granger or her capture Peter Pettigrue. Both Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy had been questioned by the headmaster and by Professor Lacouse who was frantic with worry for her young charge. The rest of the houses were told that if they had any information regarding this event they were to go to the headmaster.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
The sun had set on Hogwarts but still there was no sign of Hermione  
  
"Dumbledore!" cried Professor Lacouse in the headmaster's office, her usually strong reserve broken down to a feeble state. The aged wizard came out from behind his desk and sat on the couch with the distressed head of Slytherin, gently rubbing her back as the old woman cried.  
  
"Shhh... It will be all right" he soothed.  
  
There was a knock on the door.  
  
" Enter!" mumbled Dumbledore, his mind not on the person who entered the room.  
  
"Albus?" came the thick accent of Professor Magonnigal.  
  
" Yes Minvera? Any news?" he asked a glint of hope in his brilliant blue eyes.  
  
" No headmaster. there is no sign of Miss Granger or Mr. Pettigrue." Her voice shook as she mentioned Peter.  
  
"Very well Minerva." Came the soft reply of Albus.  
  
" What do you think will happen to her?" asked Professor Lacouse.  
  
Both Minerva and Albus exchanged looks.  
  
" The unthinkable I'm afraid" cracked the old voice of the headmaster.  
  
" I think it is best this way, she was a danger." Whispered Minerva to her self.  
  
"What was that?" growled professor Lacouse. She had evidently heard what Minerva had said.  
  
" I was only speaking the truth" defended Minerva.  
  
"DO! You have any idea what is going to happen to that girl!" seethed Lacouse, leaving the comforting arms of Dumbledore and standing at her full height in front of Minerva who was considerably shorter then her.  
  
" You don't scare me Lacouse so don't even try, I warned you long ago that I thought that this girl should be removed by one of us before some one else got her!" Snarled Minvera.  
  
" That girl! Minvera! Is not only a human being which you clearly think that she is not but she is also in her own time a Flipping Gryffendor! You only dislike her because she is in my house!"  
  
Minerva looked confused and turned to Dumbledore, he just nodded.  
  
" Albus I think it is time you told me the whole story of what is going on here" she whispered. ~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Severus Snape lay awake in his dark bedroom, gazing out at the cloudy steel moon. Many days had past since Hermione's disappearance, and it was now Christmas Eve. In his spider like fingers he held a small package wrapped in Slytherin house colors. IT was his gift to her, although they were no longer friends, he still wanted to give her something for Christmas. He didn't know why but he just did.  
  
Now it seemed that he would never see her again. A sharp pain issued across his chest and heart.  
  
"What's wrong with me?" he whispered to no one.  
  
Tap! Tap! Tap!  
  
He looked to his snow-encrusted window there was a large eagle owl rapping on it, looking clearly annoyed.  
  
Climbing sullenly out of his covers he gasped as his long feet touched the cold stone of his room. He fled quickly to the window and left the now annoyed bird in.  
  
The bird in a gust flew through the window dropped a large scroll in acid green ribbon on his desk and flew away with out a word.  
  
Closing the window Snape moved to the desk and picked up the parchment. On it was the seal of 'Tom'.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
BANG BANG BANG!  
  
"Lucius! GET UP!" roared Snape as he continued to assault the large wooden door to Lucius's room.  
  
The door opened slowly to a very awake Malfoy.  
  
" You got one too didn't you?" he inquired letting Snape in.  
  
Snape went and sat in a large desk chair. Clutched tightly in his hand was the message from tom.  
  
He read it allowed.  
  
" The time had come my faithful followers, to join the legions of the righteous! On the first hour of the of the New Year I shall send for you and you will take in the glory of what we are to accomplish on to your very souls  
  
-Do not disappoints me.  
  
Tom."  
  
" Looks like we will finally get what we've been waiting for." Smirked Severus.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Christmas came and went. Lucius, Severus, Remus and Narccissa all received their gifts from Hermione. The castle magic had seen to it, but there was no joy in opening them. What joy was there if you couldn't share it with your friend?  
  
Snape had refused to open the gift from Hermione in public and had retreated to his room to open the green and silver wrapping with a black ribbon on his gift.  
  
He removed it carefully, not wanting to tear the last thing to remind him of the girl.  
  
"Gods Hermione.." He breathed as he gazed at the book, and traced its faded letters. Usually he would have sneered at having such a beat up old book given to him but this was ancient text, and the only one of its kind to boot.  
  
" Hermione how did you. By gods the author.Merlin's ghost.its his!" He rambled.  
  
No one saw Snape for the rest of the day; his mind was totally engrossed in the writings of one of the greatest wizards of all time.  
  
Merlin himself.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Christmas came and went, and the searches continued. But all had given up hope.  
  
She was gone. Even the great Dumbledore had conceited. The world was doomed, because he now had her.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
It was new years eve, only a moment till the New Year began. Only a moment before they 'collectors' would come for both Severus and Lucius. Both were in Snapes quarters pacing, waiting..  
  
Three.  
  
Two.  
  
One..  
  
The great hearth in Snapes room blazed with dark green flame and out stepped two huge wizards, each with a skull white porcelain mask on his face with the hood of there night black cloaks drawn up over there heads.  
  
No words were spoken, only a nod from the tallest of the two wizards. Both Snape and Lucius dressed in identical garb with the absent mask took the hand of the wizards and stepped into the hearth. In a thunderclap they were gone.  
  
The hearth lay smoking and in the smoke was a skull with a serpent protruding through its gapping mouth.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
With another thunderclap both Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy hit soft earth with a thud. It took them a moment to steady themselves. Lucius longer then Severus.  
  
Severus helped his friend up, his face a mask of white.  
  
" Lucius.. Are you all right?" he questioned.  
  
Lucius had yet to look up but dusted his robes off.  
  
" Snape were are." his voice trailed off. " We?"  
  
They were in a graveyard, a muggle graveyard. Surrounded by legions of masked and dark cloaked figures.  
  
There was no sound only darkness and silence. The silence of death filled the thin cool air of the tombstone infested area.  
  
Lucius took a step back.. What was going on?  
  
" Welcome!" came a soft voice from behind the legions of masked figures. The sea of them parted down the center and a clearing was revealed. In the middle in plain sight was a tall dark robed figure. He wore no mask; no hood was drawn up over his features.  
  
Both Snape and Lucius bowed before him; he was no older then thirty years of age.  
  
" My lord" they whispered in unison.  
  
"Rise!" the man commanded. They stood straight neither of their eyes leaving the man.  
  
"Welcome Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy! Welcome to the future!" He boomed his voice carried with out magic, there were surges of power around him. " You both have been most faithful in your time of trial. You should feel honored that you shall become one of my many followers on this! This great night! The night when I Lords Voldmort Shall Secure My Legacy!"  
  
There were cheers from the crowd, both Lucius and Severus clapped but were slightly confused at his last remark.  
  
"Come!" He roared motioning them to come forward. A hush fell over the crowd. All watched intently. Slowly unsure of what lay in there very near future, both Snape and Lucius stepped slowly towards him.  
  
"TONIGHT!" Rang out Voldemort's voice. " Is a very special night, for three reasons. The first is that we welcome these two young men to our glorious ranks, Second! Its is the first hour of the New Year! The year that we shall make out presence known to the world!" His stopped and motioned one of the many death eaters to come forward.  
  
A slightly short and chubby death eater came from the ranks.  
  
"Now come forth and receive your mark, the mark of power and superiority over the muggle and wizard world!"  
  
Both Snape and Lucius came closer to Voldemort; he sneered down at the both of them. Then looking at Snape he motioned him to come forward and kneel before him.  
  
"Severus Snape!" His voice echoed out. " Do you solemnly swear to abide by the laws which I declare truth in the world. To serve and to strive for power and to be loyal to me and to your brethren!"  
  
Snape looked up into Voldemort's human eyes. With out a second glance to anyone else he answered.  
  
" I do!"  
  
Voldemort bent down to Severus level, grabbed his left arm and pulled up the sleeve of his robe revealing soft milky white slightly sun depraved skin.  
  
He drew his wand and touched just below shoulder and whispered an unknown incantation.  
  
A black light came into view from his wand and surged into Severus's Skin.  
  
Severus's eyes grew wide, his knee's began to shake and a scream heard only on one deathbed was issued. Pain like he had never felt before came smashing into his arm.  
  
Voldemort released his arm and Snape fell to the ground in a shivering heap. Lucius went to his friend's aid, only to have Snape push him back. The pain was gone. His arm hurt like hell but he felt more powerful then he had in his entire life. The pain was worth it.  
  
" Severus Snape rise and." Voldemort was interrupted by another death eater.  
  
The death eater's voice quivered as he spoke. " Master she's throughing her self against the walls, she's trying to kill her self."  
  
Immediately Snapes head turned to the death eater. The voice, something about the voice was nagging him, biting at him. Like a rat.  
  
" Lucius it appears you will have to wait. Bring out our honored guest then, since she's so anxious to bring about her end!" commanded Voldmort; he had a glint of an emotion that Snape was unable to place.  
  
He didn't have time to think on it because in a moment the chubby death eater was gone and had returned holding a thick chain in one hand.  
  
Lucius gasped and Snape felt his heart drop.  
  
Attached to the chain by a steel metal collar, covered in blood and grit, hair matted and wild around her, with out a scrap of clothing covering her dirt encrusted body and hands bound behind her was.  
  
"Hermione." whispered Lucius.  
  
It was Hermione Granger, her eyes were red or appeared red in the dark of the night, her skin was bleeding in scattered places, she was on her heals trying to fight the chubby death eater as he dragged her to the middle of the circle.  
  
"LET ME GO YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she roared, fear was apparent in her deserted voice. With a quick change she stopped struggling and threw her naked body at the death eater trying desperately to break free of her binds.  
  
"Wormtail would you kindly get control of her!" hissed Voldemort.  
  
The death eater who had been fighting for his life known as worm tail threw a punch at Hermione, hitting her in the side of the head. There was a sick sound of flesh compacting and the lifeless form of Hermione  
  
Granger slid to the dirt and bond laden ground of the cemetery.  
  
Had any one been watching the two new comers to the collective they would have seen that Lucius Malfoy knuckles were white with rage and that both he and Severus Snape had there wands out and at the ready.  
  
What ever they had been expecting it was not this. Lucius cast a frantic glance at Severus whose eyes were looking wildly around him for some explanation. This just couldn't be right he told him self over and over.  
  
"Bring her before me!" roared Voldemort.  
  
Picking up the lifeless form of Hermione, Wormtail deposited her on the soft earth before the dark lord, she moan slightly confirming that she was not dead.  
  
" Welcome back little bitch!" his Voldemort. Hermione's eyes opened at the sound of his all too familiar voice the voice that had haunted her for almost a year. She began to try to scramble back wards but strong hands from behind her held her down.  
  
" You could have made it so much easier on your self" he continued. " Submission they say is often easier and FAR more pleasant then brute force they say!"  
  
"Severus what's going on?" whispered Lucius, just soft enough that no one else could hear.  
  
" I don't know!" choked Snape.  
  
Voldmort turned to the both of them and then sneered at Hermione.  
  
" Take a good look my little hore, even you so called friends are under my power!" he motioned a hand towards Severus and Lucius. " They on my command watched over you, so that I could take you when the time was right!"  
  
Tears began to steam down Heroines face, she should have known. Once a Slytherin Always a Slytherin.  
  
" You bastards!" both Snape and Lucius flinched, there eyes pleading with her, trying to tell her that it wasn't true.  
  
" You cowardly bastards! All of you! I should have left you to your own fate!" she screamed, but was cut short by a vile grin from Voldemort.  
  
She began to scream again, trying with all of her might to stop what was coming next.  
  
" My loyal followers, I give you the source of my legacy! She alone shall carry and bare the vessel of my immortality!" roared Voldemort, cheers rang out.  
  
Both Snape and Lucius screamed out no, but their cry was not heard amongst the cheers and hoots.  
  
Voldemort once again turned to Hermione and nodded to Wormtail who held her fast.  
  
"NOOOO!" she screamed as two other death eaters on Voldemort command force her naked body open to him.  
  
With a quick swish of a cloak, Voldemort's robes fell open before her. Though he had yet to become the mangled snake like being that she had seen before she had never been so scared in her life.  
  
"Snape we have to do something" cried Lucius as he watched Voldemort run a hand down the side of Heroines body, he lifted his hand and touched the mark on her shoulder. It surged red, and began to bleed.  
  
Hermione began to whither in pain and was screaming.  
  
Snape stood stone still. His face white with shock. What should I do? He questioned himself. This is what I wanted.  
  
"Snape we have to do something!" cried Lucius again.  
  
Snape stood stone still. His fists shaking as Voldemort moved closer to Hermione.  
  
Her screams echoed out into the air.  
  
"SEVERUS!" She screamed! As Voldemort positioned his naked body between her own. " LUCIUS! PLEASE!"  
  
*Save her you poor excuse for a human being* came a gruff voice in his mind, like nothing he had ever head before commanded, it bit into him like a rabid dog.  
  
"HELP ME PLEASE!" she screamed in fanatic abandon. With a smash of a fist from Voldemort Hermione fell uncurious to ground her head lolling back and forth.  
  
Then it happened. Like a snap of a great oak, anger and fury rushed through Severus Snape, like a wave of great flame it bounded over him. He felt a surge of a different power a different demand a different drive. It was like nothing he had ever felt before.  
  
" Don't you touch her you vile serpent!" he growled.  
  
" INFLAMENDA IMPERASTARTIA!" roared Snape as his wand cut through the air like a whistling whip.  
  
A great acid green ball of flame rushed forward and smashed into the body of Voldemort, tossing him twenty feet away.  
  
" LUCIUS GET HERMIONE OUT OF HERE!" Roared Snape like a great general.  
  
Lucius needed no second bidding as curses were flung at the two of them. Sails of green, red and yellow flew through the air. The colors of the unforgivable's. Running like he had never run before Lucius fell beside Hermione and torched her arm, with quick through he apparated...  
  
Snape sighed a sigh of relief as the two forms disappeared, he quickly forgot them as black forms rushed towards him, followed closely by Voldmort who was covered in his own blood.  
  
Snape whispered touching his shoulder " Gods what have I done" and in a flash was gone. 


	27. a new day

Don't spam me please, this chapter is meant to be confusing, it will all come together in the next chapter. This is just a set up.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
With a soft pop Severus Snape apparated just outside Hogwarts main gates, soft but ice-cold wind was blowing snow around him causing most of his vision to be distorted. With a rush he called out to two figures in the snow, one holding the other.  
  
"LUCIUS!" he called out as the icy wind of winter whipped around him.  
  
A hand waved him over. In a bound Severus was at his side.  
  
Lucius sat knee deep in the snow, cradling the head of Hermione Granger in his lap. Snape felt his heart fall in his chest as he glanced at the broken woman lying unconscious naked in the whistling wind and coffin like snow.  
  
Snape's coal like eyes glanced over her broken form, there was blood and grit every where on the girl. Her once wild hair was now matted with filth and dried bits of what appeared to be animal feces. There was blood, dried and fresh over her face and hairline, one of her eyes were swollen shut and there was a thin trickle of blood falling down from a split lip where the monster had hit her.  
  
With out a second thought Snape tore off his think wool coat and placed it around her, pulling her broken from Lucius's grasp and placing her whole body in his lap, trying to keep her from freezing.  
  
"Severus what have we done?" whispered Lucius as her looked towards the snow covered castle.  
  
" It doesn't matter now, Lucius go get Dumbledore." Replied Snape who was gently stroking Hermione's hair.  
  
"Severus.." Lucius cried as he noticed the now bleeding dark mark on Severus's uncovered arm, he hadn't noticed it before because of the robe covering it.  
  
Severus just looked sadly at it. " Gods what have I done."  
  
Lucius interrupted him. " What have we done! How could we have ever thought to follow that! That monster, he was going to rape Herm."  
  
"Lucius shut it, listen to me and listen good!" Snarled Snape. Lucius went silent and nodded.  
  
" You were never their Lucius! Do you hear me! You were never there!" Snape ranted.  
  
"But Severus I was there!"  
  
"No you weren't! You never got the mark so there's no proof that you were ever there! Lucius listen to me! I can't get out of this, it's more then likely that I will be sent to Azkaban for this, you don't have to share that fate and you wont. Your going to go to Dumbledore and tell him that you found Hermione and I here" Severus grabbed Lucius by the arm and shook him. " DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"  
  
"Yes Severus" whispered Lucius, and then leaving his friend he opened the great iron gates to Hogwarts and started off towards the snow encrusted castle.  
  
Severus's eyes followed him and watched as the sun began to come up behind the castle. It's radiant light casting over the snowy world bellow. It was magic.  
  
"Look Hermione the sun's coming up. It's a new day." Severus whispered.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
For what seemed the hundredth time since she had come to this place, Hermione awoke in the infirmary. Her whole body felt like it was a flame; there was a soft tingle to every movement that she made. Her body felt lighter and lighter by the moment.  
  
"Hermione." Came an old mans voice.  
  
She opened her brilliant eyes and felt as though the world was crashing down into her, the world felt lighter and for some reason looked as thought it wasn't keeping its self together.  
  
"Hermione, don't be afraid." The voice, she knew it, it was Dumbledore.  
  
"Dumbledore what's going on.why can't I see right."  
  
Dumbledore, who was sitting on the side of her bed, grasped her hand in his aged one.  
  
" Hermione you must listen to me. Two days ago you were returned to us from the clutches of Voldemort.."  
  
"But how? I, I." Hermione stuttered.  
  
"Shh. listen, it is not important now, since then Voldemort has gone on many raids and made his presence known to all of the wizarding world, he has killed many in the last few days." Hermione gasped and tears made their way down her face.  
  
"Hermione this morning your parents were killed.." Dumbledore whispered.  
  
There was no emotion on her face; no tears were shed for her parents. " Then that's it."  
  
"Yes Hermione I'm afraid that time is fading for you, there is nothing in the wizard or muggle world that can be done for you now, with out your parents you will never be born. Time as we speak is erasing you."  
  
"Then every thing I have done, will never happen.. Voldemort will never be stopped." She whispered, every thing she had done was in vain.  
  
" No child, time it would seem is a fickle thing. It chooses what stays in the web and what passes through. What you have done, my brave little Gryffendor will not be erased." Dumbledore smiled.  
  
The world started spinning and the lights were blurring into one mass of color and shade.  
  
" Dumbledore, I need to know.. How was I sav.." her voice failed her. " Tell Se.. tell Lu... I .."  
  
In a trickle of gold and white blinks of snow like Hermione faded from the world, Dumbledore's aged hand passed through her own until he was clutching nothing but his own.  
  
" I will see you again my dear, there is still much more that is needed in the world. He will need you. I will see you again, when the sun comes up."  
  
With that Hermione Granger was gone, never hearing what Dumbledore had said, never knowing the future of her friends and loved ones. 


	28. Cats cradle

Sorry to all those who wanted that to be the end of this fic, sorry to say there is still a lot more to go, I still have to make this a romance fic. Now that the groundwork is laid, I can start concentrating on the good stuff. Thanks to every one who's been reading. Also I still need a beta tester. Any takers please email me. Special Note To those who want to get a feel of what I feel the story should go I will be adding a suggested song per chapter. This is the song that I write the chapter too, enjoy.  
  
This chapters song is: How by Lisa Loeb  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione Granger felt her life become one with space and time. Lights mixed with winds of blue, green, crimson and gold flashed around her. She was no longer a living creature of the earth. Her soul belonged to time and time saw fit that she stay in its web.  
  
Her soul would rest now, she could be at piece, she would never know what would happen in the battle on earth, she would never join those she loved at the gates of heaven but time didn't allow her to care. Her soul was time's now, not bound for heaven or hell, she was erased from the coil and now floated through a dizzy swarm of colors and unborn life and death.  
  
She was happy now.  
  
He soul smiled deep with in its self it smiled. A true smile, one that she hadn't felt the need to show in little less then a year.  
  
She was happy now.  
  
Then the world began to twist and turn, black lightning, red thunder, blue sun, green water crashed into her. Filling her with feeling once again. She screamed as white-hot pain surged through the wisp of soul that she was and tossed in the fabric of time as it slowly took her back into the coil.  
  
She just wanted to be at piece, She just wanted to be happy.  
  
Time it would seem was not finished playing with her yet.  
  
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~  
  
With a boom of thunder a bolt of lightning that shook the earth, a body crashed to the earth in the middle of a street. With a thud, Hermione Granger hit the black pavement. Great drops of heavy sodden rain fell on her, soaking her thick black and silver trimmed robes, and what ever clothing she was wearing underneath. Only thing was she didn't know how she had gotten the robe, or where she was.  
  
She scrapped her fingers on the black ashfault of the road, letting her face and front of her body feel the solidness of reality.  
  
Reality.  
  
She was alive?  
  
Confused and battered, feeling like her body had been stretched she cried, cried for memories, cried for the fact that she wasn't aloud to rest yet.  
  
She lay like that for hours, just crying in the middle of an empty street, the only light was a dim orange street lamp glowing overhead.  
  
Soon the storm subsided and the moon came out, shinning like silver sun only wisps of clouds kept it from being blinding.  
  
"Get up Hermione." She whispered to herself, as a chill ran up and down her body. The night was not warm and she was soaked to the bone.  
  
Slowly she forced herself up onto her legs; they however had different ideas. Like a child learning how to walk her legs teetered and she fell back to the ground.  
  
"Shit!" she cried in pain as her body hit the pavement. She tried to get up again and again. Her muscles it would seem would not support her.  
  
It was as if she had never used them before. Her body felt so different, why though she had only been gone for no more then an hour. Her body felt so much longer, her skin less heavy, she felt so much weaker.  
  
"Excuse me? Do you need any help?" came a gruff but gentle voice of a man as he came into view. He had just come out of a great, strange looking house. Resembling something like Ronald Weasleys house, only more modern and less poverty stricken.  
  
With out looking at the man Hermione replied. " I'm having trouble standing, I.. I don't think I can get up"  
  
The man knelt down beside her and put her arm around his broad muscular shoulders.  
  
"Common I'll give ya a hand."  
  
"Thanks." She whispered, then looked up.  
  
The man had short almost roman cut ash black hair, only slightly shaggy, he had strong features, and handsome eyes. He almost had a wolfish or dog look about him and was immensely handsome and tall which Hermione found out when he stood up taking her with him she had to stretch to keep her arm around his shoulders.  
  
He looked so familiar.  
  
"Do you think you can walk if I hold on to you?" he asked, something was so familiar about the man.  
  
" I think so." she stopped and just about fell over when she tried.  
  
"Guess not" laughed the man; it was his laugh that sparked her memories. The laugh that had been directed at her misfortunes for almost six months.  
  
" Oh my god! SIRIUS BLACK?" she screamed.  
  
The man was so startled at this that he let go of her, and she fell to the ground.  
  
"Ouch!" she cried as she hit the curb of the road.  
  
"Gods sorry, are you O.K.? " Sirius mumbled as he kneeled down beside her.  
  
" I'm fine.Black is that really you? My gods you're so different. you're all grown up. " She whispered trying to focus on his features to be sure it was him. He was so many older, maturer thens she had last seen him.  
  
"Ya its me.. Umm do I know you? How do you know my name?" he asked with uncertainty.  
  
" Black how the hell can you not know me? You tried to make my life hell at Hogwarts every chance you got!" she laughed and cried at the same time.  
  
" I'm sorry but that doesn't help me much." He laughed.  
  
" Black! Its me, the Slytherin Muddblood as you used to call me. Black its Hermione!" she whispered.  
  
He took in a breath and his features grew serious. "That's not funny. Hermione Granger died almost 12 years ago."  
  
" 12 years. That can't be, I was only gone an hour." Hermione begain to hyperventalate. "But that can't be possible. were's Dumbledore, I need to see Dumbledore." She began to try to get up but fell down again.  
  
"Hey calm down." Soothed black.  
  
" I, I don't believe this. I can't be dead.. I'm not dead! I'm Hermione Ann Granger! I'm right here! " She ranted and cried.  
  
"Look miss you must have hit your head, common let's get you inside." With that Black picked her up in his strong arms and carried the now shaking woman to the large house that he had originally come out off.  
  
Hermione just lay there in his arms in a state of depression and shock. Is this punishment, is that why I'm here, punishment for trying to help those I cared about.  
  
Her mind flashed back to apparently 12 years ago when she was part of the Slytherin trio, when she had befriended a shy raven claw girl and helped out a werewolfish Gryffindor.  
  
Then no matter what she tried her memories returned to her last week at Hogwarts, how she was stripped and beaten, betrayed, and almost rapped.  
  
" I wish I could see them again." she whispered.  
  
Black stopped walking and looked down at the woman in his arms. They were now standing under the porch light of the house and he could now get a better look at the girl.  
  
"Who?" he asked softly.  
  
She just huffed and looked up at him. Blacks eyes widened in shock and he almost fell over in surprise. The temper, the wild though now longer chestnut hair, the fiery hazel eyes.  
  
" My gods. Granger?" he mumbled.  
  
Her eyes lit up and a small smile came over her features, even though this was Black some one she hated to almost an art she couldn't help smile at the fact that he recognized her.  
  
" I told you so.." She whispered. 


	29. Welcome Back Now go away

HI EVERY ONE IM BACK. SORRY IT HAS TAKEN ME AGES TO GET A CHAPTER OUT. Hey that's life. For all of you still reading this is yet again another set up chapter. I have the next one already in the works so enjoy!  
  
*****************  
  
Sirius Black looked in awe at the familiar woman in his arms. Hermione however was torn in two at what she now saw. It was Sirius Black, but no longer was in the Sirius who had terrorized her and plagued fun at her for being mungle born.  
  
He was now more physically like the Sirius Black who had been Harry's godfather. The brave, handsome reckless man who had fought to the death against Voldmort. It was in vain; he had fallen in battle against his cousin.  
  
Now he was here, it had never bothered her before. Now it was like she was seeing the Ghost not him.  
  
Sirius looked at her his mischievous black eyes still full of shock and amazement. He came back to reality as Hermione began shivering, the rain was still falling heavily and her strange new robes were soaked and heavy on her thin frame.  
  
" Come on. Let's get you inside." he whispered and opened the large oaken front door to the strange looking house.  
  
Stepping through the front door and into the dimly lit mansion Hermione felt a sudden warmth drape over her cold form, her shivering began to calm. Black held her close to his wet warm frame and he carried her though a long hallway.  
  
Hermione looked around and noticed that there were decorations, balloons, streamers and a large banner posted across crossways. She caught a glimpse at one of the writings on a particularly large banner.  
  
WELCOME HOME HARRY  
  
She gasped and jolted up right in Black's arms so fast that he nearly lost his balance.  
  
"HARRY?!" she gapped in question towards Sirius.  
  
Black just smiled and beamed. " Ya, who would have thought that James and Lilly would have ever settled down, let alone have a baby."  
  
Hermione smiled and felt a warm fuzzy feeling come over her.  
  
" You know, some things are just meant to be." She smiled.  
  
Black just shook his head at her and smiled and walked towards a warm looking room with a nice leather sofa, which he deposited her frail form on and draped a heavy warm wool blanket over.  
  
She smiled her thanks. This was defiantly more of the Sirius that she used to know. Not the racist brat who made her life hell during her second time through Hogwarts.  
  
" I'll be right back. gods I cant believe this Remus, is gonna piss sugar at this." Black said still not believing his eyes.  
  
"Remus. Remus is here?!" A huge smile came over her face, she never thought she would ever see the sweet boy again. man. now he would be a man.  
  
" Ya, and his wife.. Hold on I will be right back." With that Black left her in shock at the mention of Remus having a wife.  
  
" Wife." she whispered. She was cute short.  
  
" SIRIUS BLACK OF ALL THE DIRTY SHIT THAT YOU COULD HAVE EVER SAID TO RUIN A PERFECT DAY!" came a loud shill voice of a woman.  
  
" IM TELLING YOU SHE'S RIGHT THERE ON THE SOFA!" Came Blacks annoyed voice echoing down the corridor.  
  
" LOOK HERE BLACK, SHE'S BEEN GONE 12 YEARS! 12 YEARS! SHE DIED! IM GOING TO GO OUT INTO THAT ROOM AND PROOVE TO YOU THAT." As this new male voice was speaking it grew louder indicating that it was getting closer. Suddenly it stopped.  
  
There was a large intake of breath from two people. Hermione turned to see two very familiar faces and one smug looking Sirius Black.  
  
The man who had been ranting only moments before stepped closer, as if afraid not to believe his eyes. The man had sandy blond hair and soft eyes, he had a slightly worn look about him as if he had aged years prematurely. An old memory sparked in Hermione's mind. the day she had first met Remus Lupin on the train.  
  
Remus was this man; the only difference between the Remus she had known on the train and this one was that this one had a happy look to him. And why shouldn't he. Hermione gasped in awe as a blond haired blue eyed, tall and perfectly sharpens woman came closer and stood beside Remus.  
  
Hermione did a double take. . It was Narccissa.. Remus placed his hand on Narccissa's shoulder tears starting to stream down both of their faces.  
  
"Hermione?" whispered Narccissa, her faced pained.  
  
Hermione just smiled. In a split second Narccissa threw herself out of the grasp of Remus and embraced Hermione much like you would if you were seeing a family member for the first time since a major trauma.  
  
Hermione held Narccissa as she cried into Hermione's already wet shoulder. A moment latter another pair of arms wrapped themselves around Hermione. Remus had gotten over his shock and was now hugging her so hard that she found it hard to breathe.  
  
"Remus.. Your choking me!" she gasped, her body was very week and held no resistance to strong hugging.  
  
Both Narccissa and Remus pulled back and smiled and laughed. Black just lent against the doorway and watched the scene unfold.  
  
" My Gods Hermione! What? How... ?! I mean... we... Your, but your not?!" stammered Remus.  
  
"Remus if I knew, I would tell you." Said Hermione earnestly.  
  
" But, I mean, your not dead, but you are.." Whispered Narccissa.  
  
" I don't know, I honestly don't know. I do know one thing" Hermione replied her voice perking up. " You all have grown up so much! I didn't even recognize you."  
  
All of them coughed.  
  
" We've grown up, you're the one who's grown up Hermione, I couldn't even believe it was you." Laughed Remus who now was sitting on the couch with his arm around Narccissa's shoulder. Neither of them in there owns minds believed that she was really there.  
  
" I haven't changed. Im the same as I was the day I." her matter fact statement failed her. As if hitting her for the first time. my she really had been dead. Maybe that's what they all meant that she had changed.  
  
" Yes you have" smiled Narccissa. " How could you not have, every one's changed, here I even have a picture of you when you were younger, take a look, you'll see how much you have changed."  
  
With that Narccissa left Remus's embrace and walked over to a small cabinet, it was filled with large leather bound books, Narccissa took a second and selected one very old book. She brought it back to the couch and sat beside Hermione.  
  
"Here look' With that Narccissa opened the book, which in fact was a photo album. Hermione took the book and found it heavy, her muscles were acting so weird and she was so weak, she strained under the weight of the not quite so large book. Narccissa and Remus both gave Black a strange look and he just returned it. Hermione saw none of this however, she was took shocked at what was on the page before her.  
  
It was a beautiful picture of Hogsmead with a happy couple, the man in a tux was Remus, and there was a beautiful young blonde woman in a wedding dress.  
  
" Oh my gods! You two?" shrieked Hermione, a large goofy smile plastered across her face.  
  
Both Remus and Narccissa beamed proudly.  
  
"Turn the page." Smiled Narccissa.  
  
Hermione did as she was bid and turned the page. There was a much older picture. It was a picture of a Hogwarts Christmas. Remus and Narccissa were both there and there was Hermione with her arms wrapped over the shoulders of two very tall boys.  
  
She froze.  
  
The blond haired boy waved to her and gave her a cocky grin. His bright ice blue eyes shone like they were worth every penny in the Gringots vault.  
  
" Malfoy" Hermione whisper, touching the picture.  
  
" Ya he always was the looker." Laughed Narccissa.  
  
"Excuse me?" grumbled Remus, who probably wasn't to fond of the fact that Narccissa and Malfoy were to be married.  
  
Narccissa just laughed and patter her husband fondly. " Now, now, I've told you a hundred times Remus. Jealousy is never happy. Besides, fell in love with you, never him"  
  
Remus just huffed and pulled Narccissa closer to him. Hermione laughed. It was so amazing that the two of them, Remus Lupin and Narccissa Black were a couple, it just seemed so right. She couldn't image why the two of them in her own time weren't together.  
  
Remus gave Narccissa a soft kiss on her red lips and the two of them smiled at each other.  
  
Hermione felt a pain of longing as she watched the two of them; they were so in love. It hurt her but she didn't know why.  
  
She looked back to the picture, the last picture of all of them together, to the tallest boy in the photo. Her throat got tight and she found it hard to breathe.  
  
He had eyes like pitch, and skin like alabaster. His hair like fine Raven plume and was so sleek that it looked greasy. Never in all of her life had she ever met any one with a tung like a viper. He was the only one who she had ever really felt competition with. His sharp mind was like a drug to her. He made her laugh and protected her and saved her. He had been her best friend, and worst enemy. Her memories of his older self were the strongest. Even when she had known him when he was a teacher, she never truly hated him. There was always a deep respect for him, even when he berated her infront of the class for being a know-it-all.  
  
She used to think so highly of him, he had been a good friend. At least she had thought he had been, been her best friend.  
  
Until he betrayed her.  
  
Her eyes clouded over with a burning hatred. The bastard betrayed her. She gripped the edges of the picture book as she relived her last night, the night that she had almost been taken by the dark lord. How he. had let her be taken.  
  
She gripped the book so tight that the pictures started to look worried, the picture of him looked at her. He gave her a searching look, and even in his eyes she could see betrayal.  
  
She hated him  
  
She slammed the book shut.  
  
All three of the people in the room with her looked at her. Obviously not knowing why she had reacted so violently.  
  
"Herm? Are you ok?" questioned Remus; he sounded just like the caring boy she had known from Hogwarts.  
  
"I'm." these weren't the people she had known she realized these were so different. Narccissa put a conforting hand on her shoulder, and gave her a searching look. Something inside Hermione warmed to them, they might not be the people that she had known, but they still are the people she loved.  
  
"I.. I haven't changed since that photo" she replied quickly, internally she was telling her self off for being so stuppid.  
  
Narccissa laughed and reached in her pocket and pulled out a mirror, she then grabbed the photo album that was clenched between Hermione's fingers and opened it back to the photo that she had taken her anger out on.  
  
Narccissa placed the book infront of her again. ' Take a good look this time' she whispered.  
  
Hermione sighed and looked back at the picture. She was the same as always. Tall and gangly, with pale skin from being inside the library for days on end. Her hair was in her opinion still matted and thick. There was one thing Hermione did notice.  
  
In the picture at that time it was taken. She was happy.  
  
Narccissa nudged her to look at her self in the pocket mirror. Just as Hermione lifted it up to her face to have a look the front door opened.  
  
"WERE HOME!" came a chirpy female voice from down the hall.  
  
Hermione looked up and the mirror lay forgotten.  
  
A happy couple had just walked in, and the woman was holding in her arms a tiny bundle of blankets. Nestled with in it was a baby, who Hermione knew to be her very best friend Harry.  
  
The couple were beaming with pride as Narccissa, Sirius and Remus all crowed around them. Gazing and praising they're new born son.  
  
Hermione just smiled, not leaving the couch. She couldn't anyway, with out falling on her face.  
  
The woman who was holding her son looked over to the couch were the new comer sat. She froze her eyes hardened and she stiffened her hold on her baby.  
  
"Hello Hermione." Glared Lilly 'Evan's' Potter.  
  
Hermione just gave her a small smile. Mixed feelings flowed through her. On one hand, this was obviously the same Lilly Potter, the two faced bitch who on every occasion that was available tried to make her life a living hell. The on the other hand this was also Lilly Potter, mother of Harry. One of her best friends. She chose to smile as Harry began to fuss in his mother's arms.  
  
Again Hermione felt a pain of emptiness in her chest as she watched James Potter put his arm around his wife and son and beam with pride.  
  
Stop it Hermione. She screamed at her self.  
  
"What is she doing here?" growled Lilly to James. James just stood there dumbstruck. Hermione laughed to her self. For the father of a soon to be great hero. James sure was thick.  
  
Narccissa scowled at Lilly. It was apparent to Hermione that Narccissa still was not to fond of Lilly Potter, she must be only tolerating her because of Remus.  
  
"Its nice to see you too Lilly" replied Hermione politely.  
  
" I don't want her here." Lilly whispered to James, though it was strategically loud enough for every one in the room to hear. " This is our special occasion, she has nothing to do with Harry."  
  
Again pain and remorse surged through Hermione. She had nothing to do with Harry. It was true. All of her memories of Harry and Ron were just that. Memories. These people. all of them. She wasn't apart of them.  
  
She wasn't apart of anyone.  
  
She had no place.  
  
"Lilly!" Snarled Remus. " Can't you at least try and keep your opinions to your self for once. Hermione's been gone for 12 years! You've been gone for three!"  
  
Lilly's face contorted with rage. " Now you look here Remus."  
  
"Its ok. I'll go." Came Hermione's voice. She looked so small now, sitting on the couch. Her hair matted and still soggy in places.  
  
" Lilly congratulations on the baby. I 'Know' he's gonna turn out great." She pulled of the conforter with trouble, and used the arm of the couch to help her get up.  
  
Every one watched in wonder as Hermione labored to accomplish the simplest of tasks.  
  
Her legs were shaking. Inside she was screaming. Her feet felt as though they had never been stood on, they burned and shocked as they touched the floor.  
  
She straitened her self-up and steadied herself.  
  
Smiling, as she stood on her own she moved to take her first step.  
  
DISASTER.  
  
The moment she moved her muscles in her legs quaked. She teetered and fell had to the ground. Hitting the coffee table on her way down.  
  
Narccissa, Remus and Sirius all ran to help her. Black threw a dirty look at Lilly, who just stood there wide-eyed.  
  
"OH! Hermione!" Gasped Narccissa and she went to help her friend.  
  
Hermione lay there silent. Tears running down her face.  
  
She failed.  
  
She always failed.  
  
She was a failure.  
  
Black put a conforting hand on her shoulder as she cried in silence.  
  
" What can't she stand?" asked Lilly quietly to James.  
  
Every one jumped as the fire in the hearth of the room glowed green. A dark shape began forming and a tall, gray haired long bearded wizard with sparkling blue eyes stepped out in a whirl of acid green flames.  
  
" I believe that I can answer that question." Replied Professor Albus Dumbledore. 


	30. Crazy old man

**Authors Note:** _holy shit! I cant believe this I have three weeks till I write my final exams and what do I do.... I get back and write again hahahaha. Ok sorry guys this is a bit of a weird chapter I wrote this when I was on a lot of flue medication ( ha Im really really sick). I hope its up to standards if not yell at me. Sorry again this has taken so long to update. Almost a year now. I'll try and keep up with it. Any questions please email me. Anyway on with the story._

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The old wizard hadn't changed a bit. He was exactly the same man that she had met on her very first day at Hogwarts. His eyes held their familiar blue twinkle. Hermione would swear that he enchanted them daily so that they would maintain their youthful mischievous glow.

The old wizard stood up straight, climbing out of the hearth, brushing off the little acid green flames that clung stubbornly to him and refused to leave his robe. One particular flame had decided it rather liked his beard and was growing merrily feeding off his hair. Quicker then anyone would have expected he drew his wand and dowsed the pesky flame with a simple swish.

"Pesky little things aren't they? Oh well not much can be said about floo powder, very convenient but highly... flammable." Chimed Headmaster Dumbledore.

Every one in the room just gaped open mouthed at the peculiar old man. As he stepped clear of the hearth Hermione took a moment to try and compose her self. In vain she couldn't halt the tears from flowing freely down her face.

"There, there Mrs. Granger, certainly I am not that horrible to look at." Smirked Dumbledore moving towards the distressed woman and pulling from his robes a silken handkerchief (which for some odd reason looked disturbingly like one of the tapestries at Hogwarts).

Hermione gave him a small smile and attempted to laugh. She only managed a slight choking noise from her throat. She sighed and took the hanky gratefully from his wrinkled grasp.

Dumbledore gave her a look of understanding. " Its quite all right child, it was a bad joke."

Black snorted as if to say that it was an understatement, causing Dumbledore to recognize the very confused party before him.

"Now then" He chirped, clapping his hands together. "My dear Lilly and James, may I congratulate you on your beautiful new baby boy. I'm sure he will be the cause of many new grey hairs to my already highly silver head of hair."

James and Lilly laughed looking proudly at their little boy who took this opportunity to burp and soil himself. Dumbledore smiled proudly at the happy family.

Turning to Sirius and the Lupins Dumbledore continued. "As a gift for the new parents I suggest you three take the new parents and new babe out for a nice dinner, I feel the atmosphere in here is a bit stifling" He stated in a manner that was much less a request as it was an order.

No one argued.

"Very well Albus" Grumbled Sirius and Remus in unison, neither was please about leaving Hermione alone.

Lilly on the other hand seemed ecstatic at the proposal; she had no plans on spending this happy occasion spoiled by the return of the bushy haired lady.

"Well then lets go, I'm starving!" She cried.

"Lily you know now that your not pregnant anymore you cant just eat everything." remarked a goofy faced Sirius.

"Shut up!" came the rebuttal from everyone in the room.

Five minutes later the Potters, Lupins and Sirius Black had left for some undecided location leaving a highly distressed Hermione Granger to the powers of Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione stared blankly at the old coffee table in front of her; the photo album lay forgotten, as did the mirror. Tears of pain, sadness, grief and plain exhaustion rolled down her cheeks. No matter how she willed it she could not stop them.

Albus took a seat next to her; the couch sagged under the added weight. He placed a comforting hand on her skeletal shoulders and gave them a comforting squeeze.

"Welcome home Miss Granger." He smiled down at her.

Although nothing of great importance had just been said, this simple comment brought on a rush of tears and cries. Dumbledore did little to silence her, just holding her giving her comfort was all that he could do for the poor woman. After a few moments Hermione finally composed herself enough to speak.

"Why am I back?! Headmaster what am I doing here?! She cried in dismay fresh tears breaking through yet again.

"Miss Granger... Hermione I need you to calm yourself. You need to approach what I am about to say with a clear mind." Exclaimed Albus indicating in a polite way that she needed to stop crying.

Hermione nodded in agreement then proceeded to gasp and quiver in attempt to try to calm her crying. The tears after a few minutes began to slow. Finally she turned her attention to Albus.

"I'm sorry headmaster. I'm acting like a child." She whispered trying to will herself not to cry again.

"Hermione" Soothed Dumbledore "You have never in all my years, acted like a child. I have more a chance of acting like an adult then you do acting like a child."

Hermione forced a laugh at this. It wasn't a real laugh, she didn't believe she ever would laugh again.

"You have experienced something that no one in all their life should be subjected to and you have handled it like a woman wise beyond her years." Dumbledore continued.

"What is going on Headmaster?" She cried softly, her arms wrapped around herself in a fetal position.

"I am afraid I have very few answers to give you Hermione." Replied Dumbledore sadly.

"What can you tell me? Why am I here?" she whispered in defeat.

Dumbledore simply sighed. "Hermione, when Tom removed you from your original time he altered the fabrication of the time he sent you too. This was what he had hoped to accomplish, what he didn't count on happening as far and I can tell was you coming to Hogwarts instead of being trapped from day one in his custody."

"That still doesn't explain why I'm here...." She interrupted.

"Miss Granger please allow me to finish." Piped Dumbledore.

Hermione went red in the face for not showing him the respect he deserved.

Dumbledore just smiled at her with his annoying twinkling blue eyes.

"What Tom did not count on Hermione, or at least as far as I can tell was you coming to Hogwarts and thus influencing those around you in some way."

"Influencing?" repeated Hermione.

"Yes influencing those around you. Whether it was intentional or not, your position at Hogwarts many years ago changed the paths of every one you came in contact with, directly or indirectly. A prime example is Narcissa and Remus Lupin. With out your intervention neither would have the happiness they have now." Dumbledore looked gravely at Hermione. "You know what might have happened in the future had they not."

Hermione nodded. "What does this have to do with my re-insertion into this time period?"

"I'm getting to that." Hushed Dumbledore. "By changing the course of history, you set off a new chain of events that affected not only the magical world but the muggle world as well."

Hermione looked uncomfortable at these words. She was not accustomed to not understanding things, especially those as important as this.

"In changing certain events, many things that were destined to happen... they never occurred." Dumbledore looked a little uncomfortable in what he was saying. Hermione's eyes went wide as it clicked into her mind what it was he was saying.

"You mean that...." She started, trying desperately to fully understand what it was that she was about to say. "I was never born?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes...you were never born, your parents Hermione never met. I'm not sure what chain of events was interrupted to prevent this but never the less you parents never met, married or gave birth to you...."

Somehow through all this Hermione felt that she could not cry. Something inside of her began to numb, to solidify, to harden. She had never been born that meant that her parents would never die because of her being a muggle born witch... they were safe....

"Why then am I here Headmaster?" she said, her voice sounding harder then the whisper it had been moments before.

Dumbledore registered the change and looked sadly at the woman before him. "You are here Hermione simply because Time has willed it to be so."

"I don't understand" replied Hermione.

"The night Time took you into itself, the night that you supposedly died to the world. That was times way of removing your existence from the fabric, it re – wrote itself, while every thing you had done could no be undone, you yourself were removed as a way of prevention of further tampering."

"So it pulled me out so I would ruin its plan any longer." Stated Hermione.

"Yes... and no. Time removed you because of two things, one you technically could not exist with out any prior past in this time, and two your genetic makeup was beginning to unravel as their was no reference to your birth that time could draw on. That is why you "faded" away."

"I still don't understand Headmaster." Hermione pleaded. "If I don't exist then why am I here, why tonight?! Why am I back?"

"Hermione, for a witch who has topped Hogwarts with records that may never be broken you have the patience of a gnat!" Dumbledore laughed, his laugh seemed to light the room, Hermione swore that she saw the lanterns glow brighter.

Hermione blushed and smiled. The headmaster of Hogwarts had never playfully teased her before ... well stranger things had happened.

"Hermione you are here.... Well let me rephrase that. I believe you are here because the fabric of time can no longer continue with in a balance with out your presence. It appears to me that a certain event must occur and you must be a part of it, that is why I believe time has brought you back, because you belong here." Dumbledore gave her a look that could have spanned the ages, it seemed to seal what he had said as fact.

"So I have a purpose, that I don't know what it is? That's how I'm supposed to live my life? Awaiting till this 'event' occurs and then get stripped from time once again and thrown back into euphoria?" She growled in frustration.

Dumbledore now looked at her in the eyes, his own brilliant blue ones loosing their twinkle ever so slightly.

"I honestly don't know Hermione, there is a possibility of that happening."

'I don't believe this! I get taken out, put back in, only to be taken out again!? What am I a permanent player in a fucked up life version of the hokey – pokey!?"

Dumbledore said nothing, he just let her seethe away her anger and frustration. She hissed and swore, snarling out words that made even Dumbledore raise his eyebrows at. After a few moments she calmed and managed to string a few sentences together with out any profanities.

"What do I do? Headmaster? I have no life here? No living, if I am to wait around till I'm yanked away again, I have to have something to live on." She stated.

"I believe I have a solution to this. You must come and join the staff at Hogwarts." Chimed Dumbledore, clapping his hands together.

"Staff?!" She gasped. "As in teach? Dumbledore not only did I not graduate, I'm also the age of a student!"

Dumbledore laughed at her yet again.

"You know I'm beginning to think that the world is out to make a big joke of me." Grumbled Hermione.

"I'm sorry dear, but I should have assumed you have no had a good look at yourself since you arrived." He smiled waving his wand he transfigured the hand mirror into a large full body mirror, levitating in mid air.

Hermione froze. Her eyes looked at the mirror as it reflected back a person that was not her. Her hair was matted from the rain, but had lost many of its curls and frizz, it was now a tamer and wavier mane, all though she suspect that it would puff up once it was dry. Her face was longer and more mature, skin was pale as always but with out freckles and the rose colour of youth. Lastly she could tell even though she was seated that her body had filled out, she had been stick thing with little curves but now sported the features of a mature woman in her prime, even if she had no tone to speak of.

"Is that me?" she gasped in wonder.

"Yes, a full grown woman." Dumbledore beamed with pride.

"I Look like a cream puff!" she screeched!

Dumbledore snorted. "Well you can't expect time to do everything for you!"

"I believe I understand now" she growled. "Because I was never born, I never learned how to walk, run, just and all those other things that even two year olds can do. I have had my age accelerated, destroying years of my life making me an age I do not know, can you at least tell me why?"

"I don't have all the answers but things of this magnitude happen for a reason. You will simply have to relearn all that you known, allowing your body to catch up with your brain. I have no doubt that your 'cream puff' state as you call it will be gone in a matter of months"

"Why couldn't it have just left me to sleep. I was at peace." She growled in frustration of having to relearn something for once in her life.

"Hermione, you have in a sense been given another chance at life. Do not waste it on wishing that you could be at rest." Explained Dumbledore in a tone that left little to be argued.

"So what do I do now? I never finished school, I can't walk, let alone stand. I have no identity. HA! Some second chance." Hermione scoffed. 

"Your inability to walk, I believe that therapy would help you to stand, walk and run in less then a few months. Your brain does still remember how to do these things, your body just needs to be taught how." Dumbledore seemed to have it all planed out.

"So what do I do then? You mentioned something about staff at Hogwarts" she mumbled whipping her tears.

"Hermione I would like you to come and teach at Hogwarts after the summer holidays. As our new Defense against the Dark arts professor."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" she screamed with glee, the thought of teaching a subject that had so many resources at its grasp, the amount of research and the chance to be back at Hogwarts gain made her fidget with excitement.

"I wouldn't have asked unless I was." He stated smartly

"Headmaster I cannot thank you enough. I don't know what to say honestly."

"You can start by calling me Albus, as we are now colleagues." Smiled Albus.

Hermione beamed.

"Now Hermione, I believe we should find you a place to live. I believe London would be an appropriate place to find suitable accommodation." Dumbledore said getting off the sofa. Hermione looked at him and then around the room trying to fathom all that had just occur. Her eyes traveled the beautiful home and landed back on the worn photo album on the coffee table. Dumbledore watched her intently.

She pulled the album once again onto her lap, her arms straining under the added pressure. She traced the page she had looked at not to long ago, this was a memory.

"Sir, if I ... I don't understand something." She whispered looking at the picture of her, Lucius and Severus.. "If I was never born, and left this time how is it that I am still in the pictures?"

Dumbledore just looked at her. " Even I do not have all the answers Hermione."

Hermione just nodded and watched the figures in the photo.

"Sir?" she mumbled.

"Yes?"

"Can you answer a few questions for me?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I can answer only those that I know the answer to."

Hermione smiled. "Sir, what happened to ... to Lucius? I never asked when I was in the infirmary that night"

Dumbledore smiled. "as I said Hermione, your intervention into the lives of others in your short time changed the course of history. Lucius as you know did not marry Narcissa"

"Yes I know" she mumbled.

"Lucius did however marry. Rather surprisingly he married a young muggle born witch, from your year."

Hermione froze. "Lucius Malfoy! Married a muggle born witch?!"

Dumbledore laughed. "Truly amazing the outcomes of a different opinion to influence your own."

Hermione joined him in a small laugh. "What is he doing now? Did he suffer from that night?"

"Lucius is now deputy Minister of Magic, and no Lucius has had nothing from that night affect him in the normal wizard world. He never had the mark burnt on his body and none could testify that he had actually been there. Anyone who would have know would have given themselves away as being a member of the circle."

Hermione looked at the picture. " Then he is safe."

Dumbledore smiled. "Yes... well for the time being.... He won't be safe from everything in about a month's time. Poor boy will be severely sleep deprived."

Hermione looked at him questioningly.

"Lucius is going to be a father Hermione." The headmaster said with a twinkle in his eye.

She froze, remembering Lucius first son, the vile rodent Draco Malfoy. With all that had changed she never gave him much thought. She had a warm feeling about this new babe. "I think this time...... he'll get it right."

"I do believe you are right my dear" Beamed the headmaster.


End file.
